When it comes to fruity and citrusy hops, the USA is definitely on top. From classics like Cascade to modern show-stoppers like Citra, no other country has more fruity and citrusy hops. However, the U.S. doesn’t have a monopoly on these tangy-tasting hops, and several states have developed their unique varieties.
1. Germany’s Mandarina Bavaria
Germany is known for its spicy and earthy hops, but one hop breaks this pattern. Mandarina Bavaria is the only German hop you can consider fruity perhaps because it traces its lineage to the American Cascade. The hop retains the spicy and earthy aroma of the usual German hop, but its flavors are dominated by fruit and citrus. Flavors of lemon, lime, and tangerine figure prominently with subtler tones of berries and black currant. It might be rare for local shops to have them available — or even for sale — but you can usually get them online.
2. Australia’s Galaxy
One of the most successful Non-US hop variety is Australia’s Galaxy. It is often compared to Citra because the two are purely fruity and citrusy. However, Galaxy isn’t as aromatic, and Citra has a brighter citrus profile. Galaxy’s flavors have a bit more sourness (not the sweet sourness of Citra) with tones of passionfruit, peach, and pineapples. Galaxy is Australia’s number one hop, and they’re planning to export more than 1,000 tons by next year, making Galaxy one of the most available non-US hop.
3. New Zealand’s Nelson Sauvin
Take a break from beer and have some wine or have a pint of Nelson Sauvin. This New Zealand hop is making beer-drinkers do a double-take on their drinks as its flavors resemble wine more than beer. Named after the grape variety Sauvignon Blanc, Nelson Sauvin brews retain the strong aromatic qualities of white wine as well as the taste.
4. Slovenia’s Aurora
Slovenia produces close to 3 percent of the hops in the world, but very few of them are fruity and citrusy. One such variety is Aurora. Aurora combines intense tropical aromas with herbal notes that are reminiscent of cannabis. The Slovenian hop has no relation to Canada’s Aurora Cannabis aside from the name. Aurora Cannabis is trying to create drinks infused with cannabis while the Aurora hops of Slovenia merely taste like they have a bit of it. Aurora hops can be a bit difficult to find so you may need to get creative if you want that cannabis-tasting brew.
5. The UK’s Herald
It’s not a newspaper, and upon tasting it, you might not believe it was even English. Herald hops are one of the most American-tasting foreign hops when it comes to being fruity and citrusy. These UK hops more closely resemble the 3 C’s of American hops than their British counterparts. It has strong flavors of tropical fruit, grapefruit, and black currant — with subtler notes of lychee.
It seems not only Americans love those fruity and citrusy hops. Grab a few of these foreign hops and break ground into a whole new world of citrusy and fruity brews.
