Bullion hops are a type of hop plant that was bred in 1919 at Wye College, England. It is a sister selection to Brewer’s Gold and originates from a wild hop cutting from Manitoba, Canada. Bullion hops are known for their high alpha acid content and ability to produce a heavy crop of large cones. They feature zesty, herbal, and spicy flavors with predominantly dark red fruit notes, similar to blackcurrant.
Bullion hops were once prevalent in professional brewing circles but have since had their production capacity slashed in favor of super-alpha varieties with more significant bittering potential and storage stability. Despite declining popularity, they are still used in brewing, particularly for darker beers.
Usage: | Dual-Purpose |
Country of Origin: | United States |
Hop Growers Code: | Q43 |
Where To Buy Bullion Hops
Bullion Flavor And Aroma
Bullion is a dual-purpose hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
blackcurrant
spicy
herbal
Bullion Hop Oil Breakdown
Hop oils can vary from year to year and farm to farm but based on our research, here are the typical values we have seen reported. This information comes from various hop farms, The Hop Aroma Compendium, and For The Love Of Hops.
Alpha Acid % (AA) Alpha acids are what is isomerized when boiling to create bitterness in beer. | 5.3% – 12.5% |
Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 4.5% – 6.5% |
Alpha-Beta Ratio This ratio of alpha acids to beta acids determines how quickly bitterness fades during aging. Lower ratios are common for aromatic varieties. | 1:1 – 3:1 |
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 47% – 50% |
Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 1.0mL – 2mL |
Myrcene green, resinous | 40% – 55% |
Humulene woody, piney | 15% – 25% |
Caryophyllene woody | 9% – 14% |
Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 5% – 36% |
Hop Storage Index (HSI) The HSI indicates the percent of alpha and beta acids lost after 6 months of storage at room temperature (68°F or 20°C). | Data Not Available |
Hop Storage Index (HSI) Rating | Data Not Available |
Bullion Hop Substitutions
Replacing one hop for another is seldom straightforward but sometimes you don’t have the right hop or the right quantity of hops for the beer you want to make. For those situations, we have made a comprehensive list of hops to substitute on brew day.
These substitutions aren’t perfect as hop chemistry is pretty complex.
We wanted to make this list of substitutions with varietals that are easy to find when possible. For Bullion, we recommend substituting with the following hops:
Beer Styles
For the most part, any hop could have a place in just about any beer style. Based on popular beers, historical usage, and our own preferences, we would recommend using Bullion for IPA, New England IPA, Pale Ale, Wheat Beer, Golden Ale. That being said, experiment and see what works best for you.
References
https://www.hopslist.com/
https://www.ars.usda.gov/
https://www.brewersassociation.org/
https://www.barthhaasx.com/
https://www.yakimachief.com/
Hieronymus, Stan. For The Love of Hops. Brewers Publications, 2012
The Hop Aroma Compendium. 2012