Pilgrim hops originate from the United Kingdom, developed by Wye College and released in 2000. This hop variety is a modern twist on the classic English hop, providing traditional English character with a higher alpha acid percentage for increased bitterness potential.
The flavor and aroma profile of Pilgrim hops include cedar, spice, and a unique honey character, along with intensely fruity, spicy, lemon, and grapefruit notes. It provides a refreshing, full-bodied, and rounded bitterness, making it suitable as both a bittering and late aroma hop.
Pilgrim hops can be used for brewing various beer styles, including English Pale Ales, Bitters, IPAs, Stouts, and Porters. This versatile hop is an excellent choice for those experimenting with traditional English flavors in their brewing process.
| Usage: | Dual-Purpose |
| Country of Origin: | United Kingdom |
| Hop Growers Code: | PGM P38 |
Where To Buy Pilgrim Hops
Pilgrim Flavor And Aroma
Pilgrim is a dual-purpose hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
herbal
citrus
spice
Pilgrim 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. | 9.0% – 12.0% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 4.0% – 5.0% |
| 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. | 2:1 – 3:1 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 36% – 38% |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 1.0mL – 1.8mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | 30% – 35% |
| Humulene woody, piney | 21% – 25% |
| Caryophyllene woody | 7% |
| Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 39% – 49% |
| 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 |
Pilgrim 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 Pilgrim, 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 Pilgrim 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
