Green Bullet Hops is a triploid hop variety bred in New Zealand through open cross-pollination of the Smoothcone variety. First released in 1972, they are known for their high alpha acid content, ranging from 11-15%, which provides a refreshing bitterness. They have a complex flavor and aroma profile, including dark fruits, pine needles, floral notes, and slight spice.
Originally intended as a bittering hop, Green Bullet Hops are now used in various beer styles, including stouts, imperial IPAs, light lagers, and session IPAs. They are considered a “workhorse” in the New Zealand brewing industry and have been adopted by breweries worldwide for their versatile applications, including late additions, hopback/whirlpool, and dry hopping.
Usage: | Dual-Purpose |
Country of Origin: | New Zealand |
Hop Growers Code: | GBU |
Where To Buy Green Bullet Hops
Green Bullet Flavor And Aroma
Green Bullet is a dual-purpose hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
pine, woody
berry, currant
floral
Green Bullet 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. | 11% – 15% |
Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 2.9% – 7% |
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. | 2:1 |
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 38% – 43% |
Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 0.46mL – 1.13mL |
Myrcene green, resinous | 38.3% – 53% |
Humulene woody, piney | 19% – 28.2% |
Caryophyllene woody | 19% – 20% |
Farnesene floral | 9.2% – 20% |
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 21% – 26% |
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 60%-70% alpha acid after 6 months storage at 20ºC (68ºF). |
Hop Storage Index (HSI) Rating | Fair – Good |
Green Bullet 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 Green Bullet, 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 Green Bullet 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