Calypso Hops: The Dual-Purpose Hop with Complex Aroma

History of Calypso Hops:

Right around the time America’s first semi-dwarf hop variety was being released in 2003 its inventor, Roger Jeske, was starting to plant seeds collected from another controlled cross-pollination he’d done a year earlier.

The cross was between a Hopstiener female plant, designated 98005, and a Hopsteiner male bred from Nugget and another variety known simply as, USDA 19058m.

The seedlings were then planted in a field nursery. The seedlings displaying the most promising vigor, cone type, and disease resistance were planted in a single hill top in Prosser, Washington, the following year. hu

In the summer of 2005, Roger Jeske discovered the variety that would become Calypso among the test plantings. The new variety showed several agreeable qualities, not found in its female parent; resistance to powdery mildew, vigorous growth, good flavor/aroma, high alpha acid levels, and larger than usual, firm cones.

The variety was further vetted through several more years of test plots, in different locations, and across three generations to ensure genetic stability of unique characteristics. The testing culminated with two small trial plots, one in Oregon and one in Idaho, that were subjected to standard commercial hop farming practices.

Even in these new locations the variety continued to show no susceptibility to powdery mildew, good yield, and similar chemical composition. It was released, and the patent filed in 2012, under the name Calypso. The patent goes into further detail about the ten years of testing.

Calypso Hop Profile & Brewing Tips

Unfortunately, Calypso is a patented hop variety so there are no rhizomes available to home gardeners right now. If you have your heart set on a Calypso-like hop, the best you’re gonna be able to do is grow one of the non-patented substitutes (Galena or Cascade), which is an imperfect solution at best.

General Characteristics:

• Growth Rate — Vigorous
• Yield — 2,500 – 2,700 lbs/acre
• Cones — Very large; compact
• Maturity — Early to Mid
• Susceptible to — ?
• Resistant to — Powdery Mildew; Appears to be tolerate to Verticillium wilt, Very tolerate to Downy Mildew.
• Ease of Harvest — Easy; cones detach easily and do not shatter.
• Storage — Moderate; Maintains 65% to 70% alpha acid content after 6 months storage at 68°F.

Sensory Description:

Calypso is often described as having a pleasant and complex mix of fruity and citrus-like elements. Notes can include apple, sappy pear, tropical fruit and stone fruit with the added zippy hints of lemon and lime; all washed with the subtle shadowed whispers of tea-like earthiness, black-pepper, and mint.

Use:

Most of the praise for Calypso focuses on its complex aroma, but it also as the alpha acid chops to back its use in bittering additions, making it a good dual-purpose hop.

Opinions seem to very quite a bit on this variety. The general trade perception is that Calypso is a great late addition and dry hopping variety with bittering potential. But, some brewer’s don’t seem to care for Calypso, saying it has too much of grassy/herbal element and not enough of a fruity element.

The only sure fired why to know if you like what this hop, or any other hop for that matter, has to offer is to run some experiments yourself. This is especially true when there isn’t a whole lot of information available about a varieties usage. Calypso is a case in point. The best way to test out any new hop is by making a simple single hop pale ale. Always keep in mind: when and where you add the hops can drastically change how they are perceived.

Can Substitute With/For These Hops:

• Galena
• Cascade
• Huell Melon (as a substitute for dry hopping)
• Belma

Common Beer Styles Using Calypso Hops:

• Pale Ales & IPAs
• Barleywines
• Golden Ales
• Stouts & Porters
• Bitters

Commercial Examples:

To help you gain a better idea this hop’s aroma and flavor I would recommend you sample as many of these as you can find. This, ummm… research will deepen your understanding of how Calypso works in different beer styles and give you a better idea of how to use it in your own homebrewing.

Uses Only Calyspo Hops:

• Calypso Shiipaawl from EvilTwin Brewing Company
• Calypso Imperial IPA from Flying Dog Brewing Company
• Calypso Pale Ale from Persephone Brewing Company

Combines Calypso With Other Hop Varieties:

• Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company — Also uses Delta, Bravo, Centennial, Cascade, and Mosaic.
• The Sister Imperial IPA from Fremont Brewing Company — Also uses Mosaic, Ekuanot, Amarillo, and Columbus.
• Let it Ride IPA from Indeed Brewing Company — Also uses Moasaic and El Dorado.
• Growing Power from Lakefront Brewing Company — Also uses Cascade, Centennial.
• Calyptra Session IPL from Jack’s Abbey Brewing Company — Also uses Citra.
• Lil Heaven Session IPA from Two Roads Brewing Company — Also uses Azacca, Mosaic, Equinox.
• Delicious IPA from Stone Brewing Company — Also Nugget, Lemondrop, El Dorado.
• Zephyr from Rising Tide Brewing Company — Also uses Cascade Amarillo, El Dorado.
• Icy Bay IPA from Alaskan Brewing Company — Also uses Summit, Bravo, Apollo, Cascade.
• Heritage Coffee Brown from Alaskan Brewing Company — Also uses Cascade.
• Grunion from Ballast Point Brewing Company — Also uses Mosaic.