Hops

Hops are what give beer its bitterness, flavour, and aroma — and choosing the right variety makes a bigger difference to the finished beer than most beginners expect. We stock over 100 hop varieties in pellet and whole leaf form, all sourced from Charles Faram, one of the UK's most respected hop merchants with over 150 years in the trade. Whether you're dry hopping a hazy IPA, bittering a traditional bitter, or adding late aroma to a lager, you'll find the right hop here.

All hops are available in 100g packs (50g for the Mangrove Jack's range), which is a practical size for most home brew recipes. If you're not sure where to start, the variety guide below covers the most popular options by style and flavour profile.

Hop Pellets vs Whole Leaf Hops

Hop pellets are the most widely used format in home brewing. They're compressed and consistent, store well in the freezer, dissolve easily into the wort, and are straightforward to measure. Most modern recipes are written for pellets. For most home brewers, pellets are the right choice.

Whole leaf hops are the natural, dried cone form. Some brewers prefer them for dry hopping — they can be easier to remove from the fermenter — and many traditional British ale recipes were written with whole leaf in mind. They take up more space and require slightly more careful storage, but produce excellent results. We stock whole leaf versions of the most popular British and classic varieties including Fuggles, Goldings, Challenger, Cascade, Citra, Amarillo, Saaz, and more.

Hop Variety Guide

British hops

British varieties are the backbone of traditional ales, bitters, and porters. They tend towards earthy, floral, and herbal characters rather than the bold fruit of American or New World hops.

• Fuggles — the classic English hop. Earthy, woody, and gently herbal. Used in bitters, milds, and porters for centuries. One of the most versatile British varieties.
• East Kent Goldings — the other great English classic. Floral, spicy, and smooth. The defining hop of traditional English pale ales and ESBs. Also excellent for dry hopping British styles.
• Goldings — similar character to EKG, slightly more widely grown. A reliable all-rounder for British ales.
• Challenger — a dual-purpose British hop with good bitterness and a clean, slightly spicy character. Works well as a bittering hop in pale ales and bitters.
• Northdown — clean bitterness with mild herbal and floral notes. A solid bittering hop for British ales and lagers.
• Target — high alpha, clean bittering hop. Widely used in British commercial brewing. Efficient and reliable.
• Admiral — another high-alpha British variety with a clean, slightly citrusy bitterness. Good for bittering pale ales and IPAs.
• Bramling Cross — distinctive blackcurrant and spice character. Interesting in dark ales and winter beers.
• Northern Brewer — clean, neutral bittering hop. Used in both British ales and lagers.
• Phoenix — earthy and slightly spicy with good bittering potential. A useful British dual-purpose variety.

American hops

American varieties drove the craft beer revolution and remain the go-to choice for IPAs, pale ales, and anything with bold citrus or tropical fruit character.

• Cascade — the hop that started American craft brewing. Grapefruit, citrus, and floral. Brilliant in American pale ales and session IPAs. One of the most popular hops in home brewing worldwide.
• Citra — intensely citrusy with tropical fruit and lime. Exceptional for late additions and dry hopping in IPAs and NEIPAs. Use with restraint — it's powerful.
• Mosaic — complex and layered: blueberry, tropical fruit, earth, and pine. One of the most versatile modern American varieties. Works at every addition point.
• Amarillo — orange, grapefruit, and apricot. Excellent for aroma and dry hopping. Pairs well with Citra and Mosaic.
• Centennial — floral and citrusy with solid bitterness. Often called "Super Cascade". A classic American dual-purpose hop.
• Magnum — clean, neutral high-alpha bittering hop. Widely used as a clean bittering addition in recipes where you don't want the bittering hop to contribute flavour.
• Azacca — mango, citrus, and tropical fruit. Bold and juicy. Great for late additions in IPAs and pale ales.
• El Dorado — watermelon, pear, and stone fruit. Distinctive and sweet-fruited. Interesting in hazy and fruit-forward IPAs.
• Ekuanot — lime, melon, and berry. A modern American variety with a complex, layered fruit character.

European hops

European noble and near-noble varieties are the foundation of lagers, pilsners, wheat beers, and many classic continental styles.

• Saaz — the defining hop of Czech pilsner. Delicate, spicy, and herbal with very low bitterness. Essential for authentic Bohemian lagers.
• Hallertauer Mittelfrüh — the classic German noble hop. Mild, floral, and herbal. Used in German lagers, weissbiers, and Märzen.
• Hallertauer Hersbrucker — similar to Mittelfrüh but slightly more herbal. A reliable German lager hop.
• Strisselspalt — the traditional French Alsace hop. Delicate herbal and floral character. Used in French and Belgian styles.
• Celeia (Styrian Goldings) — Slovenian-grown, Goldings-derived. Earthy, floral, and smooth. Excellent in British and continental ales.
• Mandarina Bavaria — a modern German variety with a distinctive tangerine and citrus character. Interesting in wheat beers and modern lagers.

New World hops

Australian and New Zealand varieties have become increasingly popular for their distinctive tropical and stone fruit characters.

• Galaxy — passion fruit, citrus, and peach. One of the most popular Australian hops. Exceptional for dry hopping IPAs and pale ales.
• Nectaron® — intensely tropical: pineapple, peach, and passion fruit. A New Zealand variety that's become a favourite for hazy IPAs.
• Vic Secret — pine, passionfruit, and tropical fruit. An Australian variety with bold, resinous character.

Charles Faram UK varieties

Charles Faram also breed and develop their own UK varieties, some of which are exclusive to their range:

• Olicana — tropical fruit and citrus with an earthy British backbone. A modern UK variety that bridges traditional and contemporary styles.
• Harlequin — stone fruit, tropical, and floral. Another modern Charles Faram variety with a complex, layered character.
• Krush — citrus and tropical fruit with a clean finish. A newer UK variety suited to modern pale ales and IPAs.

Mangrove Jack's flavour-descriptor hops

If you're new to hops and find variety names confusing, the Mangrove Jack's range takes a different approach — each sachet is labelled by flavour profile rather than variety name. H1 Citrus, H2 Tropical, H3 West Coast, H4 Stone Fruit, H5 Pacific, H6 Fruity, H7 Zesty, H8 Floral, H9 Herbal, and H10 Earthy. Available in 50g sachets — a good option for kit upgrades and first-time hop additions.

How to Use Hops

Bittering additions

Hops added at the start of the boil (60 minutes or more) contribute bitterness but little flavour or aroma — the volatile compounds that carry flavour and aroma are driven off by the heat. High-alpha, clean varieties like Magnum, Target, and Northern Brewer are commonly used here, as their flavour contribution is minimal and their bitterness is clean and efficient.

Flavour and late additions

Hops added in the last 10–15 minutes of the boil contribute both flavour and some aroma. This is where varieties like Cascade, Amarillo, and East Kent Goldings really shine.

Dry hopping

Dry hopping means adding hops directly to the fermenter after primary fermentation, without heat. This extracts aroma compounds without adding bitterness — it's the technique behind the intense hop aroma in modern IPAs and pale ales. Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, and Nectaron® are all excellent dry hop choices. Leave for 3–5 days before packaging.

Adding hops to a beer kit

You don't need to brew from scratch to use hops. Adding a 20–30g dry hop addition to a beer kit during fermentation is one of the simplest and most effective upgrades you can make — particularly for IPA and pale ale kits. Use our IBU Calculator to estimate bitterness if you're adding hops to the boil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Categories

• Brewing Yeast
• Malt Extract
• Malts & Grains
• Beer Kits
• IPA Beer Kits
• Pale Ale Beer Kits
• Beer Starter Kits

Why Buy From The Hop Shop?

We stock hops from Charles Faram — one of the UK's oldest and most respected hop merchants, with roots going back over 150 years. Their pellets and whole leaf hops are consistently fresh, well-packaged, and available in the full range of varieties that home brewers actually want. We've been supplying home brewers for over 50 years and we know what works. If you're not sure which variety to choose for your recipe, get in touch — we're happy to help.

Helpful guide: Hop variety guide.