How can you recognize hop varieties in beer?

Even if you only like beer a little, you’ll know that there are different hop varieties. The boom of craft beer in the United States at the end of the 20th century has led to hundreds of new varieties that are more aromatic, fruitier and more flavorful. That said, it’s not always easy to tell so many different hops apart, especially when they appear blended together in a single beer. Brewers combine different hops to add greater complexity to their product. However, if we want to learn to distinguish hop varieties, we can turn to a single-hop beer tasting. In other words, beers in which only one hop variety has been used for bitterness, aroma and flavor. Let’s look at some examples of Spanish breweries that produce these single-hop beers.

From Cantabria, the brewery Dougalls produces its “single hop” series. This line of single-hop pale ales is available in five different hops: Cascade, Chinook, Citra, El Dorado and Simcoe. In addition, they all use the same malts (Maris Otter, Extra Pale, oats) and offer 3.7% alcohol.

In turn, the Toledo microbrewery Domus has also launched a single-hop series under the “Soup” brand. Illustrated with the image of a 1950s grandmother, the recipes showcase four distinctive hops: Mosaic, Citra, Amarillo and Simcoe. These four IPAs at 5.5% alcohol aim to highlight the purest characteristics of each hop.

Back in the north, the Galician brand In Peccatum offers a series of four IPAs called “Origins”. Each of these 6% ABV beers is dedicated to a hop variety. The stars are Mosaic, Simcoe, Cascade, Mandarina and Bavaria.

Likewise, the microbrewery Espiga also produces single-hop beers under the name “Hop Collection.” Showcasing this series are four pale ales with Mosaic, Citra, Amarillo and Simcoe; all at 5.5% ABV. They have also just launched this product line in large cans.

If you’re a hop fanatic but haven’t yet had the chance to enjoy a single-hop tasting, this is your opportunity. Without leaving Spain, you have different pale ales featuring the following hops: Cascade, Chinook, Citra, El Dorado, Simcoe, Mosaic, Amarillo and Mandarina Bavaria. These are 8 of the hops most widely used by craft brewers, and now you can get to know them in depth thanks to single-hop beers. And you’ll find even more among imported offerings!