Sorachi Ace hops originated in Japan in 1984, developed by Sapporo Breweries. This unique hop is a cross between Brewer’s Gold, Saaz, and Beikei No. 2 male, gaining popularity among craft brewers for its distinct citrus fruit, herbal, and dill aromas.
The flavor and aroma profile of Sorachi Ace is potent and distinctive, with hints of dill, lemon, wood polish, fruit pith, and lemon tea. This dual-purpose hop offers strong bittering qualities and unique aromatics, making it suitable for various beer styles.
Sorachi Ace hops can be used for brewing Saison, Witbier, exotic IPAs, and classic lagers and pilsners that embrace bright citrus character.
| Usage: | Dual-Purpose |
| Country of Origin: | Japan |
| Hop Growers Code: | SOR |
Where To Buy Sorachi Ace Hops
Sorachi Ace Flavor And Aroma
Sorachi Ace is a dual-purpose hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
citrus, orange
dill, cilantro
pine
Sorachi Ace 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. | 11.5% – 16% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 6% – 7.5% |
| 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 – 3:1 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 23% – 28% |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 1.5mL – 3mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | 44% – 55% |
| Humulene woody, piney | 20% – 26% |
| Caryophyllene woody | 7% – 11% |
| Farnesene floral | 2% – 5% |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 3% – 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 72% of its alpha acid after 6 months of storage at 20ºC (68ºF). |
| Hop Storage Index (HSI) Rating | Good |
Sorachi Ace 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 Sorachi Ace, 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 Sorachi Ace 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
