Simcoe Hops: The Dual-Purpose Variety With Smooth Complexity

History of Simcoe Hops:

Simcoe is one of the most popular hops among U.S. craft and home brewers. This variety is known for its diversity and unique complexity along with a smooth bitterness due to its high alpha acid content and extremely low co-humulane content.

This hop variety is often associated with IPAs, their stronger cousin double IPAs, and their newer siblings India Black Ale and India Red Ale.

But don’t mistake Simcoe for a one style pony; this variety can do great things in a number of other beer styles, and is often used in conjunction with the Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Citra hop varieties.

Simcoe was created by Charles E. Zimmermann, developed by Select Botanicals Group, and released through Yakima Chief Ranches in 2000.

A patent was applied for the year prior to Simcoe’s release making it a trademarked variety. Because of this proprietary status its parentage is unknown to all but the patent holders. I wonder if the farmers growing it for Yakima Chief even know its pedigree.

Since its introduction, Simcoe has quickly become one of the most sought after and best-selling varieties, for homebrewers and commercial breweries alike.

In 2013, it was considered one of the two most popular proprietary varieties in the U.S. (the other was Amarillo). But, its popularity is in no way limited to its home country. In 2014, Brew Dog Brewing Company in Scotland claimed it was one of the biggest buyers of Simcoe hops in the world.

The 2015 Hop Acreage Report (PDF) shows significant increases, from 2014 to 2015, of acreage dedicated to the Simcoe variety; Idaho’s acreage increased by 182%, Oregon planted its first 189 acres of Simcoe, and Washington’s acreage increased by 58.8%.

Put this all together, and it amounts to a significant increase from 1,886 acres to around 3,200 acres!

How to Brew Beer With Simcoe Hops

If you plan on growing hops in your backyard, we would make a few recommendations to help you in your endeavors. Before you choose the variety you want to grow, it is a good idea to talk to other local growers or possibly someone at your local homebrew supply store. They may be able to point you toward varieties that grow well in your area.

Unfortunately, Simcoe is a patented hop, and rhizomes are not available for the home gardener, but not to worry, there are plenty of other varieties to choice from that are not proprietary, such as Magnum, Cascade, and Chinook.

General Characteristics:

• Growth Rate — Moderate to Vigorous
• Yield — High-medium, 2,650 to 2,880 pounds per acre
• Cones — Yellow-green cone is medium size and compact
• Maturity — Medium-Early
• Susceptible to — Unknown
• Resistant to — Moderately resistant to powdery mildew
• Ease of Harvest — Good
• Storage — Good, maintains 70% to 75% alpha acid content after 6 months storage at 68°F

Sensory Description:

Simcoe is often compared to Cascade, sometimes called “Cascade on steroids”. It is described as being both fruity and earthy. It can carry notes of berry, apricot, passion fruit, and citrus, but also has pronounced aromas of pine and woodsy earth. Flavor and aroma is quite complex and unique.

Use:

Simcoe is a dual-purpose hop. It is most often used in bittering additions and creates a clean, smooth bitterness along the same lines as what you would expect from magnum hops. But, unlike Magnum it holds more potential when it comes to flavor and aroma. It can impart some spicy, fruity, and earthy notes through aroma and dry hopping additions.

Can Substitute With/For These Hops:

There seems to be little consensus when it comes to substitutes for Simcoe. It is comparable to Cascade, but not close enough to make the variety a substitution. Some brewers seem to think there is no substitution for it. Keep this in mind.

The couple of varieties listed below are nowhere close to perfect Simcoe clones in any respect. Actually the closest substitution might be some combination of Cascade, Centennial, and Amarillo or Columbus.

• Magnum — Bitters much the same as Simcoe.
• Summit — Has much the same bittering potential with a higher co-humulone (29-32%), so may not be as smooth. It has a few of the same aroma properties as Simcoe.

Common Beer Styles Using Simcoe Hops:

• India Pale Ale & Double IPAs
• India Red Ale & India Black Ale
• American Barley Wine
• American Amber Ales
• American Porters & Stouts
• American & Belgian Wheat Beers
• Red Ales, Brown Ales, Pale Ales
• Wild Ales
• Lagers

Commercial Examples:

To help you gain a better idea of 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 Simcoe works in different beer styles and give you a better idea of how to use it in your own homebrewing.

Uses Only Simcoe Hops:

• Double Simcoe IPA from Weyerbacher Brewing Company
• Hoppyum IPA from Foothills Brewing Company
• Count Hopula from Santan Brewing Company
• Kermit The Hop from Bison Brewing Company
• Simcoe Spring Ale from Peak Organic Brewing Company
• Simcoe from Butcombe Brewing Company
• IPX Simcoe from Hopworks Urban Brewery

Combines Simcoe With Other Varieties:

• Ranger IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company — Also uses Chinook and Cascade
• Stealing Time from Magic Hat Brewing Company — Also uses Apollo
• Megared from Sebago Brewing Company — Also uses Amarillo, El Dorado, and Citra
• Drop Top from Widmer Brothers Brewing Company — Also uses Alchemy
• Imperial Red from Marble Brewing Company — Also uses Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Chinook
• Wild Rice Double IPA from Flying Fish Brewing Company — Also uses Citra, Columbus, and Centennial
• Dead Pony Club from Brew Dog Brewing Company — Also uses Citra and Mosaic