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Package of Contessa Pellet Hops packaged in a UV and O2 barrier Mylar bag which has been vacuum sealed for the best preservation of your brewing hops.
Contessa
A/A: 2.8%
United States
Dual Purpose
1 oz. Pellet Hops
Ingredients: Hops

Contessa Hops - U.S. Grown T-90 Pellets

by SoCal Brewing Supply
$2.59 - $19.99
$2.59
$2.59 - $19.99
$2.59

Contessa Hops for Soft Noble-Like Character and Delicate Modern Aroma

Contessa is a U.S. grown hop offered here in T-90 pellets, developed for brewers who want a refined aroma profile that feels clean, balanced, and highly usable across lighter beer styles. Bred from Fuggle and Cascade lineage, Contessa brings a softer expression than many louder American varieties, leaning into herbal, pear, green tea, and gentle earthy notes rather than aggressive resin or saturated tropical fruit. Lot-specific flavor and aroma notes may include Floral, Lemongrass, Pears.

That makes it especially useful when the goal is elegance rather than intensity. Contessa can support traditional lager and pilsner brewing, but it also works well in blonde ale, Kölsch-style beer, and other recipes where a restrained hop profile helps the beer stay crisp, drinkable, and well defined.

Flavor and Brewing Character

Contessa is most often associated with herbal character, pear, and green tea, backed by a light earthy note that helps keep the profile grounded. It offers a delicate but noticeable aroma contribution, making it a strong fit for late-kettle additions, whirlpool use, and lighter dry hop applications where subtlety matters.

In the brewhouse, Contessa works well in lagers, pilsners, pale ale, and Kölsch-style brewing. It can be used for clean bittering in lower-intensity hop schedules, but its best value is usually in flavor and aroma additions where brewers want a modern U.S. hop that still feels polished and restrained rather than loud or aggressive.

Why Brewers Choose Contessa

Brewers choose Contessa when they want a hop with softer edges and broad flexibility in delicate beer styles. It gives you a more contemporary U.S. option for crisp, balanced beers without pushing the finished beer into an overly citrusy, resinous, or tropical direction. If the goal is nuance, drinkability, and a clean aroma profile, Contessa is easy to work into the hop bill.

Hop Specifications

  • Origin: United States
  • Hop form: T-90 Pellets
  • Alpha acid: 4.0-6.0%
  • Beta acid: 2.0-4.0%
  • Total oils: 0.5-1.0 mL/100g
  • Typical beer styles: Lager, pilsner, pale ale, and Kölsch-style beer

Packaging and Storage

Available in 1 oz and 1 lb sizes unless otherwise noted. Store cold after opening and limit oxygen exposure to help preserve aroma intensity, hop oils, and overall brewing performance.