*Bison Brew is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Hersbrucker Hops

Published on

Hersbrucker is a German hop variety initially bred as a replacement for Hallertau Mittelfrüh, aiming to provide resistance against verticillium wilt. It gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. Despite the passage of time, Germany still produces over 1000 metric tons of Hersbrucker hops each year. This hop variety, named after the region in which it was cultivated, has been cloned several times to improve its alpha acid content.

Hersbrucker offers a pleasant aroma with a balanced combination of fruitiness, spiciness, and floral character. It also has notes of dried green herbs, candied citrus, tree fruit, spice, hay, orange, and tobacco.

Hersbrucker is excellent for Munich-style pale and dark lagers, Weissbier, Oktoberfest, and Bock. Its mellow spiciness also complements Belgian ales and hop-forward lagers like Pils.

Usage:Aroma
Country of Origin:Germany
Hop Growers Code:HEB

Where To Buy Hersbrucker Hops

Hersbrucker Hops
Amazon MoreBeer!
Bison Brew is reader supported and may earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase.

Hersbrucker Flavor And Aroma

Hersbrucker is an aroma hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:

citrus

citrus

herbal

herbal

floral

floral

Hersbrucker 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.
1.5% – 4.0%
Beta Acid %
Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds.
2.5% – 6.0%
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.
0:1 – 2:1
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha
Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness.
17% – 25%
Total Oils (mL/100g)
With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds.
0.5mL – 1.0mL
Myrcene
green, resinous
15% – 30%
Humulene
woody, piney
20% – 30%
Caryophyllene
woody
8% – 13%
Farnesene
floral
0% – 1%
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene26% – 57%
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% alpha acid after 6 months storage at 20ºC (68ºF).
Hop Storage Index (HSI) RatingFair

Hersbrucker 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 Hersbrucker, 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 Hersbrucker 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