Hop
Admiral
A high-alpha English bittering hop with a firm, clean bitterness and citrus-herbal notes.
Aroma and flavour
Descriptors are impressions rather than analytical results. BeerHQ rates this characterisation as commonly reported.
Belongs to
Analysis
| Alpha acid | 13–16% |
|---|---|
| Purpose | bittering |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Released | 1998 |
| Storage stability | good |
How it is used
- Bittering (early boil). Added at or near the start of the boil, where long exposure isomerises alpha acids into bitterness and drives off aroma.
- First wort. Added to the kettle as it fills, before the boil. Associated with a rounder, smoother bitterness.
If you like Admiral
Hops with comparable character. Similarity and substitutability are different questions, so each entry says which it is: a hop can smell alike and still change the beer if its alpha acid is far off.
Zeus 13–17% alpha
Shares herbal, earth and wood with Admiral; a bittering variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings pine and resin that Admiral does not; lacks the citrus of Admiral.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Styrian Goldings 5–6% alpha
Shares citrus, herbal, earth and wood with Admiral; an aroma variety though it bitters more gently.
Not the same: 10 points lower in alpha acid, so a like-for-like weight swap would change the bitterness.
Smells alike, but the alpha acid differs enough that a like-for-like swap would change the bitterness.
Vital 14–18% alpha
Shares herbal, earth and wood with Admiral; a bittering variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings noble spice that Admiral does not; lacks the citrus of Admiral.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Nugget 12–14% alpha
Shares herbal, earth and wood with Admiral; a bittering variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings pine and resin that Admiral does not; lacks the citrus of Admiral.
Smells alike, but the alpha acid differs enough that a like-for-like swap would change the bitterness.
Agnus 9–13% alpha
Shares herbal, earth and wood with Admiral; a bittering variety though it bitters more gently.
Not the same: brings noble spice that Admiral does not; lacks the citrus of Admiral; 4 points lower in alpha acid, so a like-for-like weight swap would change the bitterness.
Smells alike, but the alpha acid differs enough that a like-for-like swap would change the bitterness.
Straight substitutes
Close enough in both character and alpha acid to swap at a similar weight. Substitution is directional and imperfect — these are the nearest available options, not equivalents.