Officially released in 2008, the hop is named after one of the highest mountains in the Caucasus Range. They originated in the Czech Republic as a cross between a wild Russian variety and the daughter of Saaz and Northern Brewer. Kazbek is also known as a “Super Saaz” due to its enhanced qualities.
With a unique aroma profile, Kazbek hops combine the classic noble spice of Saaz with earthy, citrus, and sweet fruit notes. It is said to have a dominant bright citrus note of lemon or grapefruit without masking its Saaz parent’s floral and earthy spice characteristics.
Kazbek hops are ideal for various beer styles where a more intense and oil-rich noble hop character is desired, like lagers, Czech pilsners, Belgian ales, wheat beers, and saison-style brews.
| Usage: | Aroma |
| Country of Origin: | Czech Replublic |
| Hop Growers Code: | KAZ |
Where To Buy Kazbek Hops
Kazbek Flavor And Aroma
Kazbek is an aroma hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
citrus
berry, currant
spicy
Kazbek 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. | 5.0% – 8.0% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 4.0% – 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. | 1:1 – 2:1 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 35% – 40% |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 0.9mL – 1.8mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | 40% – 55% |
| Humulene woody, piney | 20% – 35% |
| Caryophyllene woody | 10% – 15% |
| Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 0% – 30% |
| 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 |
Kazbek 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 Kazbek, 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 Kazbek 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
