Hop
Vital
A Czech high-alpha variety, and one of the strongest bittering hops bred in Bohemia.
Vital sits at the top of the Czech alpha range and is used for efficient bittering in beers that take their aroma from Saaz or Sládek later in the boil.
It is a working hop rather than a signature one, which is a category BeerHQ carries deliberately: most brewing decisions involve hops nobody writes about.
Aroma and flavour
Descriptors are impressions rather than analytical results. BeerHQ rates this characterisation as commonly reported.
Belongs to
Analysis
| Alpha acid | 14–18% |
|---|---|
| Purpose | bittering |
| Origin | Czechia |
| Storage stability | unknown |
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.
If you like Vital
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.
Agnus 9–13% alpha
Shares earth and wood, noble spice, herbal with Vital; a bittering variety though it bitters more gently.
Not the same: 5 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.
Zeus 13–17% alpha
Shares earth and wood, herbal with Vital; a bittering variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings pine and resin that Vital does not; lacks the noble spice of Vital.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Target 10–13% alpha
Shares earth and wood, noble spice, herbal with Vital; a dual-purpose variety though it bitters more gently.
Not the same: 5 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.
Green Bullet 11–14% alpha
Shares earth and wood, noble spice with Vital; a bittering variety though it bitters more gently.
Not the same: lacks the herbal of Vital; 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.
Dana 11–16% alpha
Shares noble spice, herbal with Vital; a bittering variety though it bitters more gently.
Not the same: brings floral that Vital does not; lacks the earth and wood of Vital.
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.