Cascade has to be one of the most prolific new world hops in the world. Given that is grown everywhere from Washington to New Zealand, it is kind of hard to nail down the specifications of this hop.
Cascade was originally created through open pollination of Fuggles and the Russian Serebrianka. It is named after the Cascade Mountain Range on the west coast of the United States which is also where it helped redefine hoppy beers.
| Usage: | Dual-Purpose |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| Hop Growers Code: | CAS |
Where To Buy Cascade Hops
Defined by its citrus, and often more specifically grapefruit flavor, it is now sought out around the world.
Cascade Flavor And Aroma
Cascade is a dual-purpose hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
Grapefruit
Piney
Floral
Cascade Hop Oil Breakdown
Hop oils can vary 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. | 4.5% – 9% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 6% – 9% |
| 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 – 2:1 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 30% – 35% |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 0.7mL – 2.5mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | 45% – 60% |
| Humulene woody, piney | 10% – 20% |
| Caryophyllene woody | 5% – 9% |
| Farnesene floral | 5% – 8% |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 1% – 34% |
| 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). | Retains 64% of its alpha acid after 6 months of storage at 20ºC (68ºF). |
| Hop Storage Index (HSI) Rating | Fair |
Cascade 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 Cascade, 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 Cascade hops for IPA, Pale Ale, IPL, Barley Wine, and Witbier. 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
