Tropica, developed by Mighty Axe Hops in Minnesota, is a unique and intensely aromatic hop variety from Chinook hop. The terroir of Minnesota soils and Mighty Axe’s specialized growing practices lend to Tropica’s standout tropical character.
Boasting a flavor and aroma profile heavy on pineapple and mandarin orange, Tropica is a versatile dual-purpose hop that can be used for flavor, aroma, and bittering throughout the brewing process. This hop variety shines in beer styles such as Hazy IPAs, IPAs, Pale Ales, and other tropical fruit-forward brews.
| Usage: | Dual-Purpose |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| Hop Growers Code: | N/A |
Where To Buy Tropica Hops
Tropica Flavor And Aroma
Tropica is a dual-purpose hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
mandarin, orange
tropical, pineapple
Tropica 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. | 8.8% |
| Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 3% |
| 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. | 2:1 – 3:1 |
| Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | Data Not Available |
| Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 1.4mL |
| Myrcene green, resinous | Data Not Available |
| Humulene woody, piney | Data Not Available |
| Caryophyllene woody | Data Not Available |
| Farnesene floral | Data Not Available |
| Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | Data Not Available |
| 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 |
Tropica 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 Tropica, 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 Tropica 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
