Loral

Aroma and flavour

• floral
• black pepper
• dark fruit
• lemon

Descriptors are impressions rather than analytical results. BeerHQ rates this characterisation as commonly reported.

Belongs to

• Modern tropical hops

Analysis

The name is a registered trademark rather than a plain variety name, which affects what a label may say and who may grow it.

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.
• Whirlpool / hop stand. Steeped below boiling after flameout. Extracts aroma and flavour with limited additional bitterness.
• Dry hop. Added after the boil, during or after fermentation. Contributes aroma and flavour with essentially no isomerised bitterness.

If you like Loral

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.

• African Queen 10–12% alpha

  Both lead with berry; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.

  Not the same: brings tropical fruit and stone fruit that Loral does not; lacks the floral and noble spice of Loral.

  Comparable alpha acid, but a different aroma — a bittering substitute rather than a character one.

• Ella 13–16% alpha

  Shares floral, noble spice with Loral; a dual-purpose variety though it bitters harder.

  Not the same: brings tropical fruit that Loral does not; lacks the berry of Loral; 4 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.

• Phoenix 9–11% alpha

  Shares floral, noble spice with Loral; a dual-purpose variety at a comparable alpha acid.

  Not the same: brings earth and wood that Loral does not; lacks the berry of Loral.

  Smells alike, but the alpha acid differs enough that a like-for-like swap would change the bitterness.

• Centennial 10–12% alpha

  Both lead with floral; a dual-purpose variety at a comparable alpha acid.

  Not the same: brings citrus and pine and resin that Loral does not; lacks the noble spice and berry of Loral.

  Comparable alpha acid, but a different aroma — a bittering substitute rather than a character one.

• Magnum 12–16% alpha

  Shares floral, noble spice with Loral; a bittering variety though it bitters harder.

  Not the same: lacks the berry of Loral; 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.