I put four hop strains through a personality test – these were their answers.

After finishing a set of aroma icons for Topp's Hops, one idea wouldn’t leave me alone: take the data behind those icons and map the flavour profile the way brewers actually sense it. That turned into an interactive aroma wheel, showing each category’s intensity level and the overall balance of a hop.

It’s a display model built from real hops and rough stats, reshaping the traditional aroma wheel with a kinetic spine. It’s something you can read at a glance, but that still pulls you in.

There’s a smarter version waiting in the wings, one that predicts blend behaviour and flavour chemistry, powered by AI instead of my best guesses. For now though, the model is simple and clear to build on.

Mosaic

Chinook

Cascade

Amarillo

The Painter's Blend

The Mountain Spirit

The Founding Flavour

The Gold Standard

ACIDS

ALPHA

8-11%

4.5-7%

12-14%

11.5-13.5%

Bitterness

BETA

6-7%

5-7%

3-4%

3.5-4.5%

Balance

OILS

TOTAL

3.5-4.5mL

1.5-2.5mL

0.8-1.5mL

1.5-1.9mL

/100g

Aroma

Myrcene

68-70%

45-60%

35-40%

40-50%

Caryophyllene

2-4%

4-8%

9-11%

7-10%

Humulene

9-11%

10-16%

20-24%

12-16%

Farnesene

2-4%

4-7%

0-1%

Other

11-19%

9-24%

24-36%

24-42%

BREW NOTES

Smooth & Radiant
Flavour match: Sweet orange, melon, mild floral notes
Suggested pairings: Citra, Cascade
Beer styles: IPA, Wheat Ale, American Pale Ale

Crisp & Iconic
Flavour match: Floral citrus, grapefruit peel, soft spice
Suggested pairings: Chinook, Amarillo
Beer styles: Pale Ale, IPA, Blonde

Raw & Wild
Flavour match: Spicy pine, grapefruit zest, dry finish
Suggested pairings: Cascade, Centennial
Beer styles: IPA, Amber Ale, Porter

Complex & Expressive
Flavour match: Juicy tropical fruit, berry sweetness, hint of pine
Suggested pairings: Citra, Simcoe
Beer styles: IPA, Hazy IPA, Pale Ale