Topaz

High-alpha Aussie hop with sweet-sour lychee.

Origin

Australia

Country

Australia

Released

1997

Alpha Acid

13–20.6%

What it tastes like

Topaz is a punchy, high-alpha Australian hop that swings two ways depending on dose. Used early or lightly it gives a clean earthy, resinous bitterness; pushed late or in the dry hop it opens up into sweet-sour lychee and light tropical fruit. A versatile dual-purpose hop that shines in sessionable pale ales and IPAs.

lycheetropical fruitpassionfruitearthyresinous

Best in these styles

IPApale aleXPAamber alesession ale

Tasting Tip

Use a light early-kettle dose for clean earthy/resinous bitterness, but save the big additions for late and dry-hop to coax out the sweet-sour lychee and tropical fruit.

Beers showcasing Topaz

Specific beer examples coming soon.

Substitutes & relatives

If you can't source Topaz, these hops bring overlapping character.

For brewers — technical profile

Alpha Acid

13–20.6%

Beta Acid

5.5–7%

Total Oil

1.6–2.0 mL/100g

Oil composition

myrcene

18-53%

humulene

8.9-16.6%

caryophyllene

6.7-12.5%

farnesene

0.1-0.9%

History

Bred by Hop Products Australia (HPA), Topaz was selected in the 1980s by crossing an Australian high-alpha variety with a Wye College (UK) male and was commercialised in 1997, though it gained popularity around 2011. Originally a high-alpha bittering hop, it is now valued as a dual-purpose variety for its tropical aroma. Topaz is a parent of Vic Secret, making the two closely related within the Australian family that also includes Galaxy.

Sources

So you can see nothing here is made up — the published specifications on this page are traceable to grower / breeder data:

Freshness Note

Alpha and oil levels vary significantly by crop year; store cold and sealed to preserve the volatile tropical-fruit aroma.

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