Spalt Select hops were developed at the Hüll Hop Research Center in Bavaria and introduced in 1993. This versatile German hop’s lineage combines Hallertauer Mittelfrueh and Spalt, bringing together their individual characteristics and resulting in a strong disease tolerance to wilt and downy mildew.
The aroma profile of Spalter Select hops is unique and highly sought after. It presents a delightful mixture of spicy, floral, grassy notes and a sweet, almost candy-like fragrance. Herbal, woody undertones with hints of thyme, apple blossoms, wormwood, and citrus fruits add complexity to its captivating scent.
Spalter Select hops provide the perfect aroma and flavor for traditional lagers, Weissbiers, cold-fermented ales, and Belgian styles, as well as Pilsners, where it imparts a spicy, flowery character reminiscent of other noble hops like Spalt, Tettnang, and Saaz.
Usage: | Aroma |
Country of Origin: | Germany |
Hop Growers Code: | SSE 78/3/34 |
Where To Buy Spalter Select Hops
Spalter Select Flavor And Aroma
Spalter Select is an aroma hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
spicy
floral
grassy
Spalter Select 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. | 3.0% – 6.5% |
Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 2.5% – 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. | 1:1 – 3:1 |
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 21% – 27% |
Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 0.6mL – 0.9mL |
Myrcene green, resinous | 20% – 40% |
Humulene woody, piney | 10% – 22% |
Caryophyllene woody | 4% – 10% |
Farnesene floral | 15% – 22% |
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 6% – 51% |
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 |
Spalter Select 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 Spalter Select, 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 Spalter Select 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