Hop
Opal
A German aroma hop with a distinctly peppery spice character.
Opal is noticeably more peppery than most German aroma hops, which makes it useful in Belgian-influenced beers where the yeast is already producing spice.
It works as a bridge variety between the noble tradition and the spicier end of Belgian brewing.
Aroma and flavour
Descriptors are impressions rather than analytical results. BeerHQ rates this characterisation as commonly reported.
Belongs to
Analysis
| Alpha acid | 5–9% |
|---|---|
| Purpose | dual purpose |
| Origin | Germany |
| Storage stability | unknown |
How it is used
- Late boil. Added in the last few minutes, retaining more aromatic oils while adding modest bitterness.
- 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 Opal
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.
Kazbek 5–8% alpha
Shares noble spice, herbal, citrus with Opal; 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.
Sterling 6–9% alpha
Shares noble spice, herbal, citrus with Opal; a dual-purpose 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.
Aramis 7–9% alpha
Shares noble spice, herbal, citrus with Opal; a dual-purpose 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.
Hallertauer Tradition 5–7% alpha
Shares noble spice, herbal with Opal; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings floral that Opal does not; lacks the citrus of Opal.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
Sládek 5–8% alpha
Shares noble spice, citrus with Opal; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
Not the same: brings stone fruit that Opal does not; lacks the herbal of Opal.
Close enough in both aroma and alpha acid to swap in a recipe.
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.
- Kazbek — Shares noble spice, herbal, citrus with Opal; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.
- Sterling — Shares noble spice, herbal, citrus with Opal; a dual-purpose variety at a comparable alpha acid.
- Aramis — Shares noble spice, herbal, citrus with Opal; a dual-purpose variety at a comparable alpha acid.
- Hallertauer Tradition — Shares noble spice, herbal with Opal; an aroma variety at a comparable alpha acid.