A brief guide to Aussie hops (and how they make your beer taste so good)

Almost for time immemorial, Australian beer has been dominated by cold, thirst-quenching yet undeniably simple lagers – the kind of beers designed to be enjoyed in an Akubra after a hard day’s yakka. Then things changed. Pale ales and IPAs began to win over the palates of younger drinkers, many of whom found the taste of malty lagers a turn-off and were instead drawn to fruitier, more complex brews. Now it seems lagers are back on the board and the lines between craft- and commercial-style beers are blurrier than ever. And while making beer is an endeavour that’s both charmingly simple and utterly complex, one ingredient is perhaps more definitive than any other in making it the astonishingly varied drink it is today: hops.

Hops are used in all sorts of ways in brewing to lend bitterness, flavour and aroma – and there are at least 80 varieties available commercially today. The hops grown in Australia feature completely different flavour profiles to those in America or Europe – ours are usually more juicy, tropical and fruity – so if you fancy yourself a beer connoisseur (or would like to), it pays to learn more about how we do it down here. 

Below, we explore some of Australia’s most popular hop varieties, how they make Aussie beers so uniquely delicious, and how they’ve turned the nation into a craft-beer heavyweight.

Galaxy hops are the godfather of Australian hop varieties, yet they began life Down Under as a European import. Galaxy hops are descended from European Perle hops and deliver the fragrant whack of stone fruit, passionfruit and citrus flavours that have made many of Australia’s most quaffable pale ales and XPAs so popular.

Try it in: The ever-popular Stone & Wood Pacific Ale

A massively popular weapon in the arsenal of new-age craft brewers, Eclipse hops are where the big citrus flavours of Australia’s most juicy IPAs, hazies and NEIPAs typically come from, renowned for their rich and bright flavours of mandarin, peel and pine. You’ll typically find them combined with US-derived hops to deliver big, punchy west- and east=coast-inspired beers.

Try it in: Capital Brewing’s big, bold Hang Loose Juice NEIPA

Descended from North American hop varieties that, confusingly, also tend to come under the ‘Cascade’ label, Aussie Cascade hops share a lot of characteristics with their namesakes across the pond (think floral, spicy undertones). It’s the addition of refreshing grapefruit profile that makes Cascade one of the nation’s most popular multi-purpose hops; great for use in lighter ales, lagers and combining with other varieties to make more complex beers.

Try it in: Bridge Road Beechworth Pale Ale – number five in last year’s GABS Hottest 100 poll.   

Bred to impart the flavours of passionfruit and pineapple, with a subtle background of herby pine, Vic Secret hops have made Aussie drinks taste invigorating for generations. It is a key component in some of the nation’s most popular modern-day brews, most commonly used to lend a subtle complexity to lagers and malt-forward ales while also helping impart mid-strength beers with the hoppy character they often so desperately need.

Try it in: The approachable Brewmanity Social Beast Pale Ale

Unique not just for having the coolest name of any Australian hop, Pride of Ringwood is also old-school, descended from England’s Pride of Kent hop and used primarily as a bittering hop rather than for flavouring. This makes it a popular choice for brewers like CUB, who bred the hop in the ’60s, mainly for use in bitters, lagers and darker ales, although it can be combined with more fruity hops to create complex lighter styles, too.

Try it in: The timeless Coopers Sparkling Ale

Topaz hops rarely play first seat in the hoppy orchestra that makes up your typical Aussie ale, but thanks to their versatility, they make an excellent second fiddle in a huge range of styles. Used hot, they lend balanced bitterness for Euro styles like kolsches and wheat beers, but when allowed to shine with cold brewing, they explode with tropical sweetness, making them a potent addition to XPAs and IPAs.

Try it in: Young Henry’s vivacious Hazy Pale Ale

Enigmatic by name and nature, Enigma hops impart different flavours depending on how they’re used, ranging from the bright and melony to the rich and berry-like. This makes them a popular addition for a huge range of styles, whether they’re used for bright, fresh pale ales or to lend more pronounced flavour to the likes of sours and Berliner Weisses.

Try it in: Gage Roads Single Fin Summer Ale

Ella is Galaxy’s little sister, and it’s the hops Aussie brewers turn to when they need hints of spice and florals to balance out a beer that would otherwise be too malty or fruity. You’ll often find them in lagers and pilsners, or in new-world takes on classic styles like wheat beers.

Try it in: The new-world 3 Ravens Thornbury Pilsner