Sussex hops originate from a chance discovery in 2005 at Gate Court, Northiam, in East Sussex. It is likely a result of the open pollination of a wild hop. It has been continuously grown since then for its promising qualities, including wilt tolerance and resistance to downy and powdery mildew.
The Sussex hop is known for its earthy, grassy, and minty aroma profile, with well-rounded classic bittering characteristics. It yields a delicate flavor, reminiscent of the Fuggle hop, with good flavor retention, making it best suited for light ales.
Sussex hop can be used for brewing English Pale Ale, English Bitter, English Mild, Blonde Ale, and Brown Ale.
| Usage: | Aroma |
| Country of Origin: | United Kingdom |
| Hop Growers Code: | SXH |
Where To Buy Sussex Hops
Sussex Flavor And Aroma
Sussex is an aroma hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
tropical
grass
citrus
Sussex 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. | 4.3% – 5.8% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 2.4% – 3.2% |
| 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 – 2:1 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 29% – 32% |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 0.4mL – 0.6mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | 42% |
| Humulene woody, piney | 23% |
| Caryophyllene woody | Data Not Available |
| Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 32% – 37% |
| 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 |
Sussex 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 Sussex, 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 Sussex 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
