Tomahawk was developed in the 1980s by Charles Zimmerman, who formerly worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The exact lineage of Tomahawk is unknown, but it’s believed to have roots in Brewer’s Gold and several undisclosed American varieties. Often referred to as CTZ, this hop is part of a trio including Columbus and Zeus, with all three being technically the same hop due to a legal dispute between Hopunion and Yakima Chief.
Tomahawk’s aroma and flavor profile is quite intriguing, as it features a punchy hoppiness and an aroma with understated citrus notes. Descriptors for its aroma include black pepper, licorice, curry, and a subtle hint of citrus. When used fresh, Tomahawk can impart a herbal flavor with a lemon citrus back note, making it perfect as a dual-use hop.
With its unique characteristics, Tomahawk works well in American-style ales like American Pale Ales, American IPAs, Stouts, Porters, and Barleywines. Additionally, it can be used in hop-forward Lagers or even Belgian-style ales, providing a distinct twist to traditional flavor profiles.
Usage: | Dual-Purpose |
Country of Origin: | United States |
Hop Growers Code: | TOM F10 CV |
Where To Buy Tomahawk Hops
Tomahawk Flavor And Aroma
Tomahawk is a dual-purpose hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
citrus
spice, black pepper, licorice, curry, onion
herbal
Tomahawk 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. | 15% – 17.5% |
Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 4.5% – 6% |
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. | 3:1 – 4:1 |
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 28% – 35% |
Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 2.5mL – 4.5mL |
Myrcene green, resinous | 45% – 55% |
Humulene woody, piney | 9% – 14% |
Caryophyllene woody | 6% – 10% |
Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 20% – 40% |
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 |
Tomahawk 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 Tomahawk, 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 Tomahawk 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