Smoothcone Hops: Profile & Substitutions

Description

Smoothcone, tetraploid, was developed in New Zealand in the 1960s at the Riwaka Research Station. It is a result of a breeding Cluster with open pollination. The hop is no longer grown commercially but is available occasionally.

Sister of First Choice. It has been important to breeding in New Zealand, being used for Green Bullet™, SuperAlpha, and Alpharoma.

Substitution Tip

If you can't find Smoothcone, the best alternative is Cluster.

At A Glance

Profile Balanced flavor of Floral, Raisin, and Spice
Purpose Dual: Aroma and Bittering
Alpha Acid 7.0 - 9.5%
Substitutes Cluster
Beer Styles Lager

General Information

Country New Zealand
Alias SmoothCone
Storage Stability
Retains 73% alpha acid contents after 6 months of storage at 68°F.

Brewing Chemistry (Acids & Oils)

Alpha Acid 7.0 - 9.5%
Beta Acid 3.4 -5.2%
Cohumulone 31.0%
Total Oil 0.4 - 1.1 ml/100g
Myrcene 55.2%
Humulene 20.7%
Caryophyllene 6.1%
Farnesene trace

Growth & Cultivation

Yield 651 - 1520 lbs/acre
Maturity Late
Resistant Downy Mildew (moderate)
Growth Rate High
Sex Female
Leaf Color Medium dark green
Side Arm Length 12" - 24"
Last Updated
  • 2026-02-04 11:17:56
Source(s)

Hops Catalog

Navigating This Profile
  • The Stats: Use the Purpose and Alpha % to understand the hop's bitterness and aromatic strength.
  • Discovery Tags: Scroll down to find clickable tags for Flavor, Origin, and Usage.
  • The Network: Click any tag (like #Citrus or #New Zealand) to instantly view every other hop in our catalog that shares that trait.
Discovery Tag Spotlight

  • #Stone-Fruit (Orchard Vibe)

    Saturday is for smooth sipping. From fuzzy peach to ripe apricot, these hops add a soft, rounded sweetness to the aroma of Pale Ales and Sours. Explore #Stone-Fruit Hops!
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Did you know?
  • Dwarf variety hops grow shorter in height than traditional varieties but, importantly, produce the same yield. This combination makes harvest easier.
Explanations
  • Storage: is based on the percentage of alpha acids remaining after 6 months at 20*F.
  • Oil composition percetages are based on the total percentage of oil in the hop. Example: 10 - 20% means that for the specific oil it is 10 - 20% of the overall oil make up.