Hop
Bramling Cross
An English hop with an unusual and pronounced blackcurrant and dark-berry character.
Aroma and flavour
Descriptors are impressions rather than analytical results. BeerHQ rates this characterisation as well established.
Belongs to
Analysis
| Alpha acid | 5–7% |
|---|---|
| Cohumulone | 30–40% |
| Purpose | aroma |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Breeder | Wye College |
| Released | 1927 |
| Storage stability | moderate |
How it is used
- Late boil. Added in the last few minutes, retaining more aromatic oils while adding modest bitterness.
- Dry hop. Added after the boil, during or after fermentation. Contributes aroma and flavour with essentially no isomerised bitterness.
If you like Bramling Cross
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.
Brewer's Gold 6–9% alpha
Shares berry, noble spice with Bramling Cross; a dual-purpose variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings earth and wood that Bramling Cross does not; lacks the citrus of Bramling Cross.
Smells alike, but the alpha acid differs enough that a like-for-like swap would change the bitterness.
Kazbek 5–8% alpha
Shares citrus, noble spice with Bramling Cross; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings herbal that Bramling Cross does not; lacks the berry of Bramling Cross.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Jester 7–9% alpha
Shares berry, citrus with Bramling Cross; an aroma variety though it bitters harder.
Not the same: brings tropical fruit that Bramling Cross does not; lacks the noble spice of Bramling Cross.
Smells alike, but the alpha acid differs enough that a like-for-like swap would change the bitterness.
Pacifica 5–6% alpha
Shares citrus, noble spice with Bramling Cross; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings floral that Bramling Cross does not; lacks the berry of Bramling Cross.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Endeavour 8–10% alpha
Shares berry, citrus with Bramling Cross; a dual-purpose variety though it bitters harder.
Not the same: brings earth and wood that Bramling Cross does not; lacks the noble spice of Bramling Cross; 3 points higher 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.