Saphir
A German aroma hop with bergamot, citrus, and tea.
What it tastes like
Saphir is a modern German Hüll aroma hop with an unusually fruity, fragrant profile — bergamot, lemongrass, black tea and strawberry over a noble base. Low in alpha, it's a fragrant late hop for lagers, wheat beers and Belgian styles.
Best in these styles
Tasting Tip
Add Saphir late for its bergamot-and-tea fragrance; its low alpha keeps it firmly an aroma hop.Beers showcasing Saphir
Specific beer examples coming soon.
Substitutes & relatives
If you can't source Saphir, these hops bring overlapping character.
For brewers — technical profile
Alpha Acid
2.0–4.5%
Beta Acid
4.0–7.0%
Total Oil
0.8–1.4 mL/100g
Oil composition
myrcene
25–40%
humulene
20–30%
caryophyllene
9–14%
farnesene
<1%
History
Saphir was developed as an aroma variety at the Hop Research Center in Hüll, Germany and released in 2002, notable for a fruitier, more fragrant character than the classic German aroma hops.
Sources
So you can see nothing here is made up — the published specifications on this page are traceable to grower / breeder data:
Freshness Note
Saphir's delicate, fragrant oils are best fresh — keep cold and sealed.