Amarillo Hops – American T90 Pellets
Amarillo® is a popular American aroma hop renowned for its vibrant orange, grapefruit, lemon and stone-fruit character. Its distinctive citrus profile can also include floral, herbal and lightly spicy notes, creating a bright and approachable hop aroma.
Amarillo is highly versatile and can be used for bittering, flavour, whirlpool and dry-hop additions. It is particularly effective in American Pale Ale, XPA, IPA, Hazy Pale Ale, NEIPA and American Wheat Beer.
It works exceptionally well as a single hop but is most famous for its ability to complement other modern American varieties, adding sweet orange and floral citrus to hop blends.
Specifications
- Hop variety: Amarillo® VGXP01
- Format: T90 hop pellets
- Origin: United States
- Purpose: Aroma-forward dual-purpose hop
- Alpha acids: Approximately 7–11%
- Beta acids: Approximately 5.5–8%
- Cohumulone: Approximately 21–27% of alpha acids
- Total oils: Approximately 1–2.3 mL per 100g
- Genetic origin: Naturally discovered proprietary variety
- Primary characteristics: Orange, grapefruit, lemon and stone fruit
- Common flavour impressions: Sweet orange, tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, apricot, flowers and herbs
Recommended Beer Styles and Usage Rates
| Beer style | Aroma or whirlpool addition | Dry-hop addition |
|---|---|---|
| American Blonde Ale | 0.75–2 g/L | 1.5–3 g/L |
| American Wheat Beer | 0.75–2 g/L | 1.5–3 g/L |
| Hop-Forward Lager | 0.75–2 g/L | 1–3 g/L |
| Saison | 1–2.5 g/L | 1.5–3.5 g/L |
| American Pale Ale | 1.5–3.5 g/L | 2.5–5 g/L |
| Australian XPA | 1.5–3.5 g/L | 2.5–5 g/L |
| American Red Ale | 1.5–3 g/L | 2–4 g/L |
| Hazy Pale Ale | 2.5–5 g/L | 4–8 g/L |
| American IPA | 2–4.5 g/L | 3–7 g/L |
| West Coast IPA | 2–4.5 g/L | 3–7 g/L |
| Hazy IPA or NEIPA | 3–6 g/L | 6–12 g/L |
| Double IPA | 3–6 g/L | 5–10 g/L |
| Hop-Forward Sour | 1–3 g/L | 2–5 g/L |
The quantities above indicate the total hop amount used at each stage. Amarillo can make up the entire addition in a single-hop beer or approximately 25–50% of a hop blend.
Use the lower end of the suggested range for a delicate orange and floral character or the upper end for a more saturated citrus aroma.
How to Use Amarillo Hops
Bittering
Amarillo can be used for bittering, particularly in Pale Ale and IPA. Its moderate alpha-acid content can provide balanced bitterness, although a higher-alpha hop may be more economical for heavily bittered beers.
Calculate the required quantity using the exact alpha-acid figure printed on the packet and the target bitterness of your recipe.
Late Kettle Additions
Add Amarillo during the final 5–15 minutes of the boil for orange, grapefruit, lemon and stone-fruit flavour. Later additions retain more of its sweet citrus and floral character.
Whirlpool Additions
Whirlpool additions emphasise Amarillo’s sweet orange, tangerine, grapefruit and apricot qualities. Lower-temperature whirlpool additions can help preserve more of its delicate citrus and floral aroma.
Dry Hopping
Dry hopping produces Amarillo’s strongest orange, grapefruit, floral and stone-fruit aroma. Moderate additions work well in Blonde Ale, Wheat Beer and Pale Ale, while larger additions suit IPA, Hazy Pale Ale and NEIPA.
Amarillo is generally smooth and blend-friendly, making it particularly useful for adding sweet citrus to more resinous, tropical or dank hop varieties.
Hop Pairings
Amarillo works well by itself and pairs particularly well with:
- Citra for mango, lime and grapefruit
- Simcoe for grapefruit, pine and resin
- Cascade for grapefruit, floral and spicy citrus
- Centennial for lemon, grapefruit and floral notes
- Mosaic for berry, mango and tropical fruit
- Chinook for grapefruit, pine and resin
- Columbus for dank herbs, citrus and resin
- El Dorado for sweet stone fruit and tropical fruit
- Galaxy for passionfruit, peach and citrus
- Motueka for lime, lemon and mojito-like citrus
Possible Amarillo Hop Substitutes
No hop provides an exact replacement for Amarillo’s distinctive sweet-orange and floral character. Depending on the recipe, suitable alternatives may include Cascade, Centennial, Ahtanum, Mandarina Bavaria or Eclipse.
Cascade is a suitable replacement when grapefruit and floral citrus are the priority. Mandarina Bavaria or Eclipse may be used when a sweeter mandarin and orange character is preferred.
Storage
Store Amarillo hop pellets sealed, cold and protected from oxygen and light. After opening, remove as much air as possible, reseal the packet and return it to refrigerated or frozen storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Amarillo hops taste like?
Amarillo hops are best known for sweet orange, tangerine, grapefruit and lemon. They can also produce apricot, stone fruit, floral, herbal and lightly spicy notes.
Are Amarillo hops suitable for dry hopping?
Yes. Amarillo is an excellent dry hop that produces a bright orange, grapefruit, floral and stone-fruit aroma in Pale Ale, IPA, Wheat Beer and hazy styles.
Can Amarillo be used as a single hop?
Yes. Amarillo has sufficient alpha acids for bitterness and enough flavour complexity for late-kettle, whirlpool and dry-hop additions. It works particularly well in single-hop Pale Ale and IPA.
Can Amarillo hops be used for bittering?
Yes. Amarillo can contribute balanced bitterness, although its greatest value is usually its orange, grapefruit and floral aroma. Many brewers use a higher-alpha variety for early bittering and reserve Amarillo for later additions.
What is the difference between Amarillo and Cascade?
Both varieties provide citrus and floral character. Amarillo generally produces sweeter orange, tangerine and stone-fruit notes, while Cascade is more strongly associated with grapefruit, flowers and spicy citrus.
What beer styles suit Amarillo hops?
Amarillo is particularly well suited to American Blonde Ale, American Wheat Beer, Pale Ale, XPA, American IPA, West Coast IPA, Hazy Pale Ale, NEIPA and Double IPA.
When should Amarillo hops be added?
Use Amarillo early in the boil for bitterness, late in the boil for flavour, in the whirlpool for concentrated sweet citrus or as a dry hop for its strongest orange and floral aroma.
