Enigma hops are a hop variety bred and released by the Hop Products Australia program of the Barth-Haas Group in 2004. They are a cross between Tettnanger and an unnamed North American variety and have high alpha and oil content.
Enigma is known for its ability to infuse distinctive aspects of hop character depending on how it’s used throughout the brewing process. It has a unique flavor profile with white grape, red currant, and rockmelon notes. It is often described as having crisp and refreshing “Pinot Gris” characteristics similar to Nelson Sauvin.
Enigma works well with other fruit-forward New World hop varieties but can also stand alone as a single-hop selection in any hop-forward beer style.
| Usage: | Aroma |
| Country of Origin: | Australia |
| Hop Growers Code: | ENI 02-016-008 |
Where To Buy Enigma Hops
Enigma Flavor And Aroma
Enigma is an aroma hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
berry, currant
tropical fruit
stone fruit
Enigma 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. | 16.7% – 19.4% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 5.2% – 7.1% |
| 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. | 2.5 – 3.5 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 37.0% – 43.0% |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 1.9mL – 2.8 mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | 23.0% – 30.0% |
| Humulene woody, piney | 12.4% – 18.8% |
| Caryophyllene woody | 6.3% – 8.0% |
| Farnesene floral | 9.2% – 11.4% |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 31% – 50% |
| 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 70% of its alpha acid after 6 months of storage at 20ºC (68ºF). |
| Hop Storage Index (HSI) Rating | Good |
Enigma 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 Enigma, 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 Enigma 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
