Strisselspalt hops originate from the Alsace area of France near Strasbourg. They are known for their medium intensity and pleasant hoppy aroma. It is considered a landrace variety, thought to have derived from the Hersbrucker Spät hops. Strisselspalt shares genetic similarities with Lublin, Northdown, and Progress hops and has been historically used by mega breweries like Anheuser-Busch.
The flavor and aroma profile of Strisselspalt hops consists predominantly of citrus, bergamot, grapefruit, and orange. Additional undertones include cream caramel, spiciness, red berries like cassis, chamomile blossom, and tea. It is prized for its pleasing hop aroma and is often compared to Mount Hood and Crystal hops.
Strisselspalt hops can be utilized in international-style lagers, wheat beers, Alsace bière de mars, bière de printemps, and märzenbier.
| Usage: | Aroma |
| Country of Origin: | France |
| Hop Growers Code: | FSP |
Where To Buy Strisselspalt Hops
Strisselspalt Flavor And Aroma
Strisselspalt is an aroma hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
citrus
herbal
floral
Strisselspalt 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. | 1.8% – 2.5% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 3.0% – 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. | 0:1 – 1:1 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 22% – 25% |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 0.6mL – 0.8mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | 35% – 52% |
| Humulene woody, piney | 15% – 25% |
| Caryophyllene woody | 8% – 10% |
| Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 16% – 44% |
| 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 |
Strisselspalt 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 Strisselspalt, 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 Strisselspalt 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
