Pahto, known initially as HBC 682, is a high-alpha bittering hop released by the Hop Breeding Company. The native name for Mt. Adams, Pahto’s mother plant, comes from an HBC breeding line with similar characteristics. In contrast, its father plant originates from the breeding program at Wye College in Kent, England. Boasting high yield, high alpha content, good storage, and resistance to hop powdery and downy mildew, Pahto has become a valuable addition to the hop world.
With a flavor profile that’s described as herbal, earthy, woody, and resinous, Pahto also offers hints of fruitiness. When used in beer recipes, this hop delivers a neutral flavor with a smooth and pleasant bitterness that many brewers appreciate. Pahto is particularly effective at imparting clean, smooth bitterness when used as a bittering hop during the hot side and early kettle additions of brewing.
Pahto’s versatility makes it suitable for a variety of beer styles. It works particularly well for American Pale Ales, India Pale Ales (IPAs), American Amber Ales, Imperial IPAs, and hop-forward Lagers.
Usage: | Bittering |
Country of Origin: | United States |
Hop Growers Code: | PAH HBC 682 |
Where To Buy Pahto Hops
Pahto Flavor And Aroma
Pahto is a bittering hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
earthy, woody, resinous
herbal
Pahto 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. | 17% – 20% |
Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 4.5% – 6% |
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. | 3:1 – 4:1 |
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 26% – 32% |
Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 1.0mL – 2.5mL |
Myrcene green, resinous | 58% – 72% |
Humulene woody, piney | 8% – 11% |
Caryophyllene woody | 3% – 6% |
Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 10% – 31% |
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 |
Pahto 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 Pahto, 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 Pahto 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