Tettnang

Hop Variety

Tettnang

Origin

Germany

Alpha Acid %

4 – 5%

Beta Acid %

3.5 – 4.5%

Background

The hop we are looking at here are the German variety, there is also an American Tettnang hop that isn’t the same. Tettnang Hops are a variety of hop grown in the Tettnanger region of Germany.

Tettnang is one of four varieties that are commonly known as noble hops, although the term noble in the case of hops is hard to define. In Germany it is widely considered to be one of their finest aroma hops used in Pilsners and Lagers.

 

Brewing Attributes

Tettnang is used primarily as an aroma hop and the aroma/flavour qualities are particularly good especially in Lagers and Wheat beers. It is grown in the US although the flavour is coarser or less refined, being more like a fuggle variety, showing how the “terroir” of the growing conditions can and do affect the crop.

Tettnang is used as a bittering hop although it has a fairly low alpha acid % and is particularly suited to single hop beers because of it’s fine aroma.

Beer Styles

Pilsners, Lagers and Wheat beers especially but it’s also used in a wide variety of other beers like Belgian ales and ESB’s.

Possible Substitutions

Saaz are a good substitute and are also one of the other noble hops. Another variety is Spalt both of which are German hop varieties.

Commercial Examples

After a bit of searching I found a single hop beer brewed by Mikkeller, a Tettnanger Single Hop IPA at 6.8% ABV. Whether it has the subtleties of cold refreshing Pilsner is another thing. Sam Adams Oktoberfest is another beer that makes use of Tettnang.