Riwaka Hop
| Purpose: | Aroma |
|---|---|
| Country: | New Zealand (NZ) |
| International Code: | RWA |
| Cultivar/Brand ID: | SaazD or 85.6-23 |
| Ownership: | ™ NZ Hops Ltd. |
| Comparison | Compare with other hops |
Purchase Riwaka Hops
Riwaka hops are available to be purchased at multiple suppliers. We've conveniently linked to the most popular hop suppliers as well as Amazon.com. Every supplier may have different prices, harvest years and amounts available for purchase.
Origin and Geneology of the Riwaka Hop
Riwaka (AKA D-Saaz) is a triploid variety crossed with an old line Saazer and specially developed New Zealand breeding selections. It was released in 1996.
New Zealand hops begin to be harvested in late February or March and continues through to early April.
Flavor & Aroma Profile of Riwaka Hops
Riwaka is an aroma hop that is typically used in only late boil additions, including dry hopping.
Specific aroma descriptors of the Riwaka hop includes powerfully fueled tropical passion fruit with grapefruit and citrus characters. This variety has a higher than average oil content, almost double that of its Saazer parent.
Tags: #tropical_fruit #passion_fruit #grapefruit #citrus
Brewing Values for Riwaka Hops
These are the common ranges that we've seen with Riwaka hops over the years. Each year's crop can yield hops that have slightly different qualities, so these number ranges are based on history.
| Alpha Acid % (AA) Alpha acids are the main source of bitterness in beer. Longer boil times will result in isomerization of more alpha acids leading to increased bitterness. Learn more » | 4.5-6.5%5.5% avg |
|---|---|
| Beta Acid %Beta acids are a component of hop resins responsible for contributing volatile aromatic and flavor properties. Beta acids contribute no bitterness. | 4-5%4.5% avg |
| Alpha-Beta RatioThe ratio of alpha to beta acids dictates the degree to which bitterness fades during aging. 1:1 ratios are common in aroma varieties. | 1:1 - 2:11:1 avg |
| Co-Humulone as % of AlphaLow cohumulone hops may impart a smoother bitterness when added to the boil as opposed to higher ones that add a sharper bitterness to the final beer. Learn more » | 29-38%33.5% avg |
| Total Oils (mL/100g)These highly volatile, not very soluble oils are easily boiled off, but add flavor and aroma to the finished beer when added very late in the boil or during fermentation. Learn more » | 0.8-1.5 mL1.2mL avg |
| Total Oil Breakdown: | |
| › MyrceneFlavors: resinous, citrus, fruity (β-myrcene) | 67-70%68.5% avg |
| › HumuleneFlavors: woody, noble, spicy (α-caryophyllene) | 8-10%9% avg |
| › CaryophylleneFlavors: pepper, woody, herbal (β-caryophyllene) | 2-6%4% avg. |
| › FarneseneFlavors: fresh, green, floral (β-farnesene) | 0-1%0.5% avg |
| › All OthersIncluding β-pinene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 13-23% |
Beer Styles using Riwaka Hops
Some popular beer styles that make use of the Riwaka hop include Pale Ale, IPA & Pilsner.
Riwaka is also sometimes featured as a single hop in beers to highlight its unique flavors and aromas. It can be added either as a fresh hop, or via hop pellets. Some popular examples of commercial beers that use 100% Riwaka hops in their recipes are Hill farmstead Riwaka Single Hop Pale Ale.
Riwaka Hop Substitutions
If the Riwaka hop is hard to find or if you are simply out of it on brew day, you can try to substitute it with a similar hop. The old way of choosing replacement hops was done by experience and "feel". There is nothing wrong with that way. However, we wanted to build a data-driven tool to find your Riwaka substitutions.
Experienced brewers have chosen the following hop varieties as substitutions of Riwaka:
Is Riwaka available in lupulin powder?
Unfortunately, there is no lupulin powder version of the Riwaka hop. Neither Yakima Chief Hops (Cryo/LupuLN2), Haas (Lupomax) or Hopsteiner have created versions of this hop variety in lupulin powder form yet. Too bad too - it is pure hop lupulin powder, which leads to huge, concentrated flavor when used in the whirlpool or dry hop additions.
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