Crystal hops for a Hallertau style aroma grown in America

Bred to fill a gap

In the late twentieth century American brewers wanted the soft, noble aroma of German Hallertau hops, but the German crop was limited and costly. Disease had also hit Hallertau Mittelfrüh hard. American public breeding produced three varieties with Hallertau Mittelfrüh in their ancestry: Mount Hood, Liberty and Crystal. Crystal was the last of the three, released in the early 1990s.

Its alpha acids are low, usually around 3.5 to 5.5%, which tells you its job straight away. Crystal is an aroma and flavour hop, not a bittering hop.

What it tastes like

Crystal smells woody, floral and spicy. Brewers often describe black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg over a soft herbal base. It is a little more pungent than Hallertau Mittelfrüh, with less of the delicate floral sweetness and more spice.

Side by side with the German hop, Crystal reads drier and more peppery.

That makes it versatile. In a light lager it reads as gentle spice. In a wheat beer it sits well with the yeast's clove. In a pale ale it adds a herbal, woody layer under brighter American hops. Our guide to Hallertau Tradition covers a German hop from the same Hallertau family.

How to use it in a homebrew

Crystal works best late in the boil and in the whirlpool:

• Bitter with a clean high alpha hop such as Hallertau Magnum, or with Crystal itself at 60 minutes if you do not mind a large addition.
• Add 1 to 2 g per litre at 10 minutes or at flameout for flavour and aroma.
• Dry hop lightly, around 1 to 2 g per litre, in a lager or Kölsch style ale for a spicy nose.

For a 20 litre lager at 25 IBU, with Crystal at 4.5% alpha and 28% utilisation over 60 minutes, you would need about 25 x 20 / (0.045 x 0.28 x 1,000) = 40 g just for bittering. That is a lot of hop matter for a small batch, which is why many brewers bitter with something else and keep Crystal for the end.

A simple Crystal hopped lager

For 20 litres at about 1.048:

• 4.0 kg Pilsner malt (95%)
• 0.2 kg Vienna malt (5%)

Mash at 65 °C for 60 minutes. Bitter to about 20 IBU with a clean bittering hop, then add 30 g of Crystal at 10 minutes and 20 g at flameout. Ferment with a German lager yeast at 10 to 12 °C. Without a fermentation fridge, a clean ale yeast such as a Kölsch strain at around 16 °C gives a close result.

The point of a recipe this plain is to hear the hop. Brew it once with Crystal and once with a German Hallertau variety. The difference will teach you more than any description.

Storage matters more for low alpha aroma hops

A low alpha aroma hop is bought for its oils. Those oils are the first thing heat destroys. In India, homebrewers often buy hops online from sellers who may store them warm. Ask how they were stored and look for nitrogen flushed or vacuum sealed packs.

Put them in the freezer the day they arrive. Once opened, squeeze the air out, seal tightly and use them within a few weeks. A Crystal pack that smells of old cheese or hay has lost what you paid for.

When Crystal is the right choice

Crystal also blends well. Paired with a little Cascade in a pale ale, its spice softens the grapefruit and gives a rounder, older American flavour. Paired with Saaz in a lager, it adds a woody depth. Its gentle spice also sits comfortably over a touch of sweetness, which is why it suits a beer made with honey. Our guide to adding Indian honey to beer covers how to do that without a sticky result.

Choose Crystal when you want a gentle, spicy, German leaning aroma and you either cannot get German hops or want a slightly more assertive version. It is a good hop for learning, because its character is clear without being loud.

Your first step: next brew, add 20 g of Crystal at flameout to a recipe you already know. Taste it beside your usual version. If the spice reads clearly and pleasantly, Crystal has earned a place in your hop freezer.

Common questions

Is Crystal a noble hop?

No. It is an American variety bred from Hallertau Mittelfrüh to give a similar aroma, but the term noble usually refers to a handful of traditional European hops.

What does Crystal hop taste like?

Woody, floral and spicy, with notes often described as black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Can I use Crystal for bittering?

You can, but its low alpha acids, around 3.5 to 5.5%, mean large additions. Most brewers bitter with a high alpha hop and use Crystal late.