More Ways to Brew Outside the Box with Hopsteiner

Dare to brew different with varieties that will help separate your beers from the herd. Creative expression is at the core of craft beer and Hopsteiner is there to help you discover more ways to brew outside of the box with these unique hop varieties.  

Contessa

When it comes to picking favorites for Lagers, this US cultivated noble-style hop from Hopsteiner steals the stage. Contessa is truly a Lager brewer’s best friend. Similar to European land race varieties, Contessa carries a captivating aroma with relatively higher beta-acids to alpha-acids. This chemical makeup can be particularly interesting for lager brewers when considering sensorial bitterness. This effect in combination with Contessa’s aroma lends a smooth and delicate bitterness while delivering an elegant fragrance, making it a perfect fit for the Lager beer style and unique addition to many others.

The name Contessa was a customary title bestowed upon a woman of nobility in certain European countries. Given the profound elegance of Contessa, it was only fitting that a title of nobility be given to this variety.

  • Aroma: light pear, floral, soft green tea, and lemongrass.
  • Best in: Pilsner, Kolsch, Helles, Lager

Lemondrop

The name truly says it all with this variety. Lemondrop offers a unique lemon-citrus hoppy character perfect for that summer sessionable Lager, while ales tend to bring out her sweeter side. The bright citrus and subtle herbaceous notes are balanced with a low intensity bitterness. Lemondrop is a refined variety for all quality Lagers and playful enough to pack a hoppy punch for anything beyond.

Weather and shipping logistics can often make it difficult to access many noble hop varieties outside of the US. Both Lemondrop and Contessa are grown in the Pacific Northwest, meaning easy access at no extra cost.

  • Aroma: lemon, citrus, tangerine, green tea, melon
  • Best in: Pilsner, Wheat, Saison, Lager, Pale Ale

Sultana

Known for its massive cone size and high oil content, Sultana delivers big pineapple notes with bright citrus, and pine. If you’ve ever cracked open a fresh can of pineapple chunks, you can get a pretty good idea of what Sultana is all about.

When deciding on what to name this variety, we looked to the impressive Alaskan Range for inspiration. We wanted to find something as big and bold as the cones and flavor this hop produces. We found a mountain known to the Athabascans and original inhabitants of Alaska as “Sultana” — which means the woman. Sultana is one of the largest peaks in the continental US and is the perfect fit for this enormous hop.

  • Aroma: pineapple, pine, bright citrus
  • Best in: IPA, Pale Ale, Hazy IPA, IIPA

Lotus

Lotus is another product from the Hopsteiner Breeding Program that offers exceptional aromatic characteristics of orange, vanilla, and hints of candied grape. Lotus has a rich lineage that includes a Neomexicanus female, adding drought tolerance and an additional layer of complexity and uniqueness to this variety.

In Eastern cultures, the lotus flower is known for its vibrancy, representing a symbol of replenishment or rebirth. Fittingly, hops are a perennial plant that experiences a reawakening when the sun coaxes the hibernating bines from their winter slumber. This revitalization sets in motion rapid growth for the rebirth of a new crop that culminates during the annual hop harvest at the end of each summer. Lotus is a name that pays homage to the culmination of this tradition, recognizing the rebirth of life and the celebration of harvest.

  • Aroma: orange, vanilla, candied grape, berry
  • Best in: IPA, Hazy IPA, Pale Ale, Belgian Witbier, Stout, Porter

Trident

Trident is a specialized hop blend, carefully balanced with a much wider range of aroma and flavor characteristics than any single hop variety could generate on its own. Trident was developed for those seeking a hop forward, punch to the nose — fruity, citrus, tropical, and passion fruit profile is perfectly balanced to fit any beer style. Although, Trident is great on its own, it can also be used with other unique varieties to build an even more complex and potent flavor profile.

The name Trident was pulled from classical mythology as being the divine weapon of Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea. Poseidon’s Trident withheld a number of magical powers but is most well-known for its influence over the sea. We are not claiming that our Trident blend has special powers, but wielding this product is sure to unleash a tidal wave of flavor.

  • Aroma: fruity, citrus, tropical, passion fruit
  • Best in: IPA, Hazy IPA, Pale ale, Lager, Wheat, Pilsner

Since 1845, Hopsteiner has proudly helped brewers secure a broad range of public and proprietary hop varieties from across the globe. We work with breweries of all sizes, and as a vertically integrated hop supplier we grow, breed, process, and trade the highest quality hops and hop products available.

Breeding our own distinct hop varieties has provided us with a flavor foundation in which we can mix and match more efficiently for target aroma and flavor specifications. All of our proprietary varieties are bred with a focus on superior agronomic properties in combination with diseases resistance genes, making Hopsteiner varieties the most sustainable hop varieties in the world.

We work in one of the most fascinating industries in the world and we are delighted to share in this experience together. We are committed to providing the best products with the best service and we invite you to grow with us.

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