Description

Challenger T90 Hop Pellets (UK)

Challenger is a high yielding dual-purpose variety grown primarily in Herefordshire and Worcestershire although quantities are grown in Kent and Belgium. Introduced by Wye College in 1972 this variety was bred from two trial varieties. It is very well related with its grandmother being Northern Brewer and its aunt – Northdown.

Challenger HOP SPECIFICATIONS

Alpha Acid: 5-9%
Hop Type: Bittering & Aroma
Beta Acid: 3.2-4.5%
Total Oil: 1-1.7%

SUITABLE FOR

Golden Ale, Barley Wine, Imperial Stout

Challenger AROMA PROFILE

Cedar, green tea, spicy

SUBSTITUTES FOR Challenger

If Challenger is not available, then a good substitute is Northern Brewer.

T90 HOP PELLETS

Manufacturers produce T-90 hop pellets by hammer-milling kiln-dried, whole leaf hop cones into a uniform powder and then pressing them through a pellet die. Pellet compression fine-tunes to achieve a consistent density for repeatable brewing, batch after batch, addressing variations in oil and vegetative content in leaf hops.

The production processes continually monitor temperature and cool the pellet die to protect and preserve hop resins. Hop pellets retain all natural lupulin and cone material, serving as a complete replacement for whole hops. They have a longer shelf life, requiring less storage space, and generally being easier to handle.

STORAGE

Weighing of hops occurs only upon receiving an order. They do not sit on shelves; instead, they are extracted from a bulk vacuum-sealed bag in cold storage. We package our hop pellets in UV-protected polyethylene bags and vacuum seal them for freshness and quality.

The vacuum seal may degrade, particularly if hop dust accumulates near the heat-sealed section of the bag. If you receive the hops and it appears that the vacuum is breaking down, the hops will still be perfectly safe to use with no degradation of flavour. If you do not intend to use then in a few days of receiving, we suggest that you store them in a fridge or freezer. Hop pellets stored near-freezing, preferably between -1°C and 5°C. Under these conditions, T-90 hop pellets will remain stable in closed containers for three (3) years.