Cascade and Centennial in classic American pale ale

Cascade started the American hop story

Cascade came out of the US Department of Agriculture breeding programme at Oregon State University. It was released in 1972. Early craft brewers took it up quickly. Anchor Liberty Ale (first brewed in 1975) and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (launched in 1980) made it famous.

Cascade typically carries around 4.5 to 7% alpha acid. Its aroma is grapefruit, citrus peel and flowers, with a gentle spicy edge. Compared with the newer tropical varieties it is softer and more floral. Our guide to American hops sets it among the others.

Centennial is often called a super Cascade

Centennial was released in 1990. It shares Cascade's citrus and floral character but with more of everything. Alpha acid usually sits around 9.5 to 11.5%, so it works for bittering as well as aroma. Its citrus leans more towards lemon, with a resinous, slightly piney finish.

That higher alpha makes Centennial useful in the kettle. A small early addition gives clean bitterness while late additions add aroma. Many brewers use Centennial for bittering and both hops late.

The pale ale they built is about balance

Classic American pale ale is moderate: around 4.5 to 6% ABV, 30 to 45 IBU and a pale golden to light amber colour. The malt is clean and slightly bready, with a touch of caramel. The hops lead, but the beer stays easy to drink.

That balance is the point. A modern IPA can carry five or six times as much dry hop. A classic pale ale lets a modest amount of Cascade and Centennial show clearly against a firm malt backbone.

A 20 litre recipe to brew this weekend

Target original gravity around 1.052, final gravity around 1.012, about 5.2% ABV and 35 IBU:

• Pale ale malt: 4.3 kg (90%). Our guide to Weyermann pale ale malt covers one option.
• Light crystal malt, around 40 EBC: 0.3 kg (6%)
• Munich malt: 0.2 kg (4%)

Hops:

• Centennial, 20 g at 60 minutes for bitterness.
• Cascade, 25 g at 10 minutes.
• Cascade 30 g plus Centennial 20 g in the whirlpool at about 80 °C for 20 minutes.
• Cascade 40 g plus Centennial 20 g as a dry hop, around 3 g/L, for three to four days.

Mash at 66 to 67 °C for 60 minutes. Alpha acids vary by lot, so adjust the bittering addition to the figure on your packet.

A clean yeast lets the hops show

American pale ale needs a clean ale yeast with low esters. Ferment at 18 to 19 °C, then let it rise a degree or two near the end to finish cleanly. Our guide to American ale yeast strains compares the common options.

In an Indian summer, ambient temperatures of 30 °C or more will push a fermenter well above its target. A warm fermentation produces fruity esters and fusel alcohols that blur the hop character. A water bath, a wet towel with a fan or a converted fridge with a temperature controller makes a real difference.

Water should lean towards sulphate

A firm sulphate level sharpens hop bitterness and makes the finish dry. Many brewers aim for a sulphate to chloride ratio around 2:1 for this style. Very soft RO water needs some gypsum added. Our guide to building a Burton water profile explains the minerals, though a pale ale needs far less sulphate than a true Burton profile.

Getting hop character, malt and water to balance is the craft of the style. Understanding why they interact is the science behind it.

Where a hop grows changes how it tastes

Cascade is now grown in several countries, including Germany, New Zealand and Argentina as well as the US. The same variety grown in a different climate and soil can smell noticeably different. Some non-US Cascade is described as softer or more herbal. If a recipe calls for Cascade and you can only find one grown elsewhere, expect a slightly different beer.

For homebrewers in India, both hops usually arrive as imported pellets through a few online suppliers. Buy from someone who keeps hops in a freezer, check the harvest year on the pack and store it in your own freezer once it arrives. A pack that has spent a week at room temperature in summer will have lost much of its aroma before you open it. Cascade in particular is known as a hop that does not keep well when warm.

Taste the hops before you brew

Rub a few pellets of Cascade and Centennial between your palms and smell each one. Note what you pick up. Then brew the recipe above and compare the finished beer with your notes. It is the quickest way to learn what each hop gives.

Common questions

What does Cascade taste like?

Grapefruit, citrus peel and flowers, with a gentle spicy edge. It is softer and more floral than modern tropical hops.

Why is Centennial called a super Cascade?

It shares Cascade's citrus and floral character but with higher alpha acid and a stronger, more lemony and resinous aroma.

How bitter is an American pale ale?

Classic American pale ales usually sit around 30 to 45 IBU with a firm but balanced malt backbone.

Which yeast suits an American pale ale?

A clean, low-ester American ale yeast fermented around 18 to 19 °C.