Hop
Hersbrucker
A German aroma hop with pronounced floral and fruity character alongside the expected continental spice.
Also known as Hersbrucker Spät, Hallertauer Hersbrucker.
Aroma and flavour
Descriptors are impressions rather than analytical results. BeerHQ rates this characterisation as well established.
Belongs to
Analysis
| Alpha acid | 2–5% |
|---|---|
| Cohumulone | 19–25% |
| Purpose | aroma |
| Origin | Germany |
| Storage stability | poor |
How it is used
- Late boil. Added in the last few minutes, retaining more aromatic oils while adding modest bitterness.
- Traditional late lager hopping. Continental practice of late kettle additions of noble varieties for a fine, spicy-floral character.
If you like Hersbrucker
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.
Hallertauer Mittelfrüh 3–6% alpha · editorial
The classic variety it most often stands in for.
Not the same: nothing in the recorded profile separates the two, which means BeerHQ cannot tell you how they differ rather than that they are interchangeable.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Strisselspalt 2–4% alpha
Shares floral, noble spice, herbal with Hersbrucker; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: nothing in the recorded profile separates the two, which means BeerHQ cannot tell you how they differ rather than that they are interchangeable.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Tettnanger 4–6% alpha
Shares floral, noble spice, herbal with Hersbrucker; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: nothing in the recorded profile separates the two, which means BeerHQ cannot tell you how they differ rather than that they are interchangeable.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Liberty 3–6% alpha
Shares floral, noble spice, herbal with Hersbrucker; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: nothing in the recorded profile separates the two, which means BeerHQ cannot tell you how they differ rather than that they are interchangeable.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Mount Hood 4–8% alpha
Shares floral, noble spice, herbal with Hersbrucker; an aroma variety though it bitters harder.
Not the same: nothing in the recorded profile separates the two, which means BeerHQ cannot tell you how they differ rather than that they are interchangeable.
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.
- Hallertauer Mittelfrüh — The classic variety it most often stands in for.
- Strisselspalt — Shares floral, noble spice, herbal with Hersbrucker; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
- Tettnanger — Shares floral, noble spice, herbal with Hersbrucker; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
- Liberty — Shares floral, noble spice, herbal with Hersbrucker; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.