Firm, clean bitterness with a woody, minty-pine edge. Northern Brewer is the hop you drop in at the start of the boil and trust to get on with the job.
Alpha 7–10 % · Beta 3.5–5.5 % · Bittering & flavour · T90 pellets · Crop 2025 · 100 g
What it does in your beer
Northern Brewer is a bitter-aroma hop: 7–10 % alpha gives it real bittering power, with enough character left over to show up in the glass. The aroma is medium-spicy and herbal, and grower data adds grassy, woody, pine and mint notes with a touch of lime.
It was bred in England in 1934 from a Canterbury Golding and a male seedling of Brewer's Gold, and later taken up by growers in Germany, Belgium, Spain and the USA. This lot is German-grown. It won't turn your beer into a fruit bowl, and that's rather the point.
At a glance
| Variety | Northern Brewer |
| Pedigree | Canterbury Golding × male seedling of Brewer's Gold, bred in England in 1934 |
| Origin | Germany |
| Crop year | 2025 |
| Form | T90 pellets |
| Pack size | 100 g |
| Alpha acids | 7.0–10.0 % |
| Beta acids | 3.5–5.5 % |
| Co-humulone | 27–32 % of alpha (variety typical, German-grown) |
| Total oil | 1.0–1.6 ml/100 g (variety typical, German-grown) |
| Purpose | Dual purpose, bittering-led |
| Aroma | Medium spicy: herbal, woody, pine, mint, grassy, lime |
What 10 g does in 20 L
| Added at | IBU from 10 g in 20 L |
| 60 min | ≈10 |
| 30 min | ≈8 |
| 15 min | ≈5 |
| 5 min | ≈2 |
Approx., Tinseth formula, OG 1.050, mid alpha 8.5 %. Recalculate with the alpha on your pack.
How to use
- First addition, at the start of the boil: its main job. A modest charge gives firm, clean bitterness.
- Second addition, mid-boil: layers in a spicy, herbal hop flavour.
- Late or dry hop: grower data allows it, but the aroma stays subtle and spicy rather than fruity — don't expect fireworks.
- Plan your IBU with the 7–10 % range, then correct it with the alpha on your pack.
Swap it for
Out of Northern Brewer? Grower data names Perle and Aurora as the closest matches.
Pairs well with
Brewing a Czech-style lager? Bitter with Northern Brewer, finish with our Saaz (Žatecký poloraný červeňák), build the grist on Czech Pilsner Malt and ferment with SafLager W-34/70.
Or go straight to the offspring: Sládek is a Northern Brewer × Saaz cross, and we stock it in 1 kg bags.
Storage & shelf life
- Keep it sealed, cold, dry and dark. Heat, oxygen and light all wear hops down.
- A typical T90 pellet data sheet specifies −3 to 5 °C in a dry, odour-free place.
- Grower data rates its storage quality as good — still, reseal an opened pack tightly and keep it cold.
Food information
- Name: Hop pellets, Northern Brewer
- Ingredients: hop pellets (Humulus lupulus)
- Allergens: none — hops are not among the 14 allergens listed in Annex II of EU Regulation 1169/2011
- Net quantity: 100 g
- Country of origin: Germany
- Storage: sealed, cold, dry and dark
Good to know
- German-grown, crop 2025. The alpha and beta ranges above are for this crop.
- 100 g of T90 pellets: milled, dried hop cones pressed into pellets.
- Hops ship from our partner warehouse in the Czech Republic, separately from any equipment in your order.
FAQ
Is Northern Brewer a bittering or an aroma hop?
Mostly bittering. With 7–10 % alpha it's efficient in the first addition, and a mid-boil charge adds spicy, herbal flavour.
How many IBU will 10 g give me?
About 10 IBU in 20 L after 60 minutes (approx., Tinseth, OG 1.050, mid alpha 8.5 %). Use the alpha on your pack for the exact figure.
Is it English or German Northern Brewer?
The variety was bred in England in 1934. This lot was grown in Germany, crop 2025.
What can I use instead?
Grower data lists Perle and Aurora as similar varieties.