Northern Brewer (GR) → Chinook
workable matchUse 0.6× the weight for the same bitterness
alpha acids 8% → 13.25% · 33% aroma match
- Keeps
- Pine
- Loses
- Mint, Grassy
- Adds
- Resin, Grapefruit, Spicy, Dank, Cannabis
GermanyNorthern Brewer (GR) substitutes
Proven alternatives to Northern Brewer (GR) and hops with a similar aroma profile. Pick by availability, price or country of origin.
Direct substitutes
4
Chinook
USADual purpose8230IPAAPAPils
Alpha acid11.5–15%
Beta acid3–4%
Total oil1–2.7 mL
PineResinGrapefruitSpicy+2
Northern Brewer (US)
USABittering8230IPAImperial StoutBarleywine
Alpha acid7–10%
Beta acid3–5.5%
Total oil1–2 mL
PineWoodyMintBlack currant
Perle (GR)
GermanyAroma1978Pale AlePilsWitbier
Alpha acid4–9%
Beta acid2.5–5%
Total oil0.5–2.5 mL
FloralFruityMintStone fruit+3
Perle (US)
USADual purpose1978IPAAPAPils
Alpha acid4–9%
Beta acid2.5–4.5%
Total oil0.5–2 mL
SlightlyHerbalFloral
How to swap it in a recipe
Bitterness scales with alpha acid times weight, so for bittering additions rescale the weight by the alpha ratio — the multiplier for each substitute is given below. For late, whirlpool and dry-hop additions dose 1:1 by weight and go by aroma instead, because alpha acids do not drive those.
Northern Brewer (GR) → Northern Brewer (US)
close matchUse 0.94× the weight for the same bitterness
alpha acids 8% → 8.5% · 67% aroma match
- Keeps
- Mint, Pine
- Loses
- Grassy
- Adds
- Woody, Black currant
Northern Brewer (GR) → Perle (GR)
workable matchUse 1.23× the weight for the same bitterness
alpha acids 8% → 6.5% · 33% aroma match
- Keeps
- Mint
- Loses
- Grassy, Pine
- Adds
- Floral, Fruity, Stone fruit, Herbal, Earthy, Slightly
Northern Brewer (GR) → Perle (US)
last-resort matchUse 1.23× the weight for the same bitterness
alpha acids 8% → 6.5% · 0% aroma match
- Loses
- Mint, Grassy, Pine
- Adds
- Slightly, Herbal, Floral
Similar aroma profiles
4Eureka
USADual purposeIPAAPAPils
Alpha acid17–20%
Beta acid4.5–6%
Total oil2.5–4.4 mL
HerbalDarkMintCitrus+6
Independence
USAAromaPale AlePilsWitbier
Alpha acid4.7%
Beta acid1.5%
FloralCitrusStone fruitHerbal+4
Fuggle
United KingdomAromaPale AlePilsWitbier
Alpha acid2.4–6.1%
Beta acid2.1–3.5%
Total oil0.44–1 mL
WoodyGrassyMintMild
Mosaic
USADual purposeIPAAPAPils
Alpha acid11.5–13.5%
Beta acid3.2–3.9%
Total oil1–1.5 mL
BlueberryTropicalCitrusGrassy+9
How to pick a substitute
Look for similar alpha acid content (within 2%) and overlapping aroma notes. The more shared notes, the safer the swap.