Smoothcone Hops: Profile & Substitutions

Description

Smoothcone is a foundational pillar of the New Zealand hop industry, representing a major turning point for Southern Hemisphere breeding at the Riwaka Research Station. Developed in the 1960s as a tetraploid variety from an open-pollination of California Cluster, it was engineered to provide growers with a hardy, high-yielding cultivar. While it is no longer grown commercially, its legacy lives on as a critical breeding block for modern legends like Green Bullet™, SuperAlpha, and Alpharoma. As the "sister" to First Choice, Smoothcone's agricultural resilience established the clean, consistent bittering standards that paved the way for the "New World" hop revolution.

The sensory profile is defined by a rugged, old-school herbal character and a firm, traditional bitterness. It leads with a primary, "mid-century" bouquet of fresh-cut hay, dried earth, and sweet resins, followed by a subtle, spicy woodiness reminiscent of its Cluster ancestry. As the profile develops, brewers will find muted floral undertones and a hint of dark fruit. Because of its steady oil composition and classic chemical structure, Smoothcone delivers a punchy, lingering bitterness that provides an excellent structural backbone for malt-forward styles, making it the definitive choice for brewers seeking a reliable and nostalgic Southern Hemisphere character.

Substitution Tip

If you can't find Smoothcone, the best alternatives are Cluster, Galena, Northern Brewer, or Southern Cross™.

At A Glance

Profile Fresh-Cut Hay, Dried Earth, Sweet Resins, Spicy, Woody, Soft Floral, Dark Fruit
Purpose Dual: Aroma and Bittering
Alpha Acid 8.0 - 10.0%
Substitutes Cluster, Galena, Northern Brewer, Southern Cross™
Pairs with Cluster (to lean into its American heritage), Motueka™ (to add a citrus top-note), Pacific Gem™ (for a robust and berry-forward bittering)
Beer Styles Traditional Lager, Pilsner, Stout, Porter, English Bitter

General Information

Country New Zealand
Alias SmoothCone
Storage Stability
Retains 73% alpha acid

Brewing Chemistry (Acids & Oils)

Alpha Acid 8.0 - 10.0%
Beta Acid 3.4 -5.2%
Cohumulone 35.0 - 40.0%
Total Oil 1.0 - 1.4 ml/100g
Myrcene 35.0 - 45.0%
Humulene 15.0 - 20.0%
Caryophyllene 6.0 - 10.0%
Farnesene < 1.0%
Linalool 0.3 - 0.5%
Geraniol ~0.2%

Growth & Cultivation

Yield 651 - 1,520 lbs/acre
Maturity Mid to late season
Resistant Black Root Rot (high)
Growth Rate Very High
Cones Medium-sized, dense, and remarkably "smooth" in appearance (hence the name), with a high lupulin con
Ease of Harvest Excellent; the bines are structurally sound and the variety was specifically bred for mechanical eff
Sex Female
Leaf Color Medium dark green
Side Arm Length 12" - 24"

Discovery Tags

Flavor/Aroma
Dark Fruit Dried Earth Floral Fresh-cut Hay Resinous Spicy Woody
Variety Name
Alpharoma Cluster First Choice Galena Green Bullet Motueka Northern Brewer Pacific Gem Southern Cross Superalpha
Beer Style
English Bitter Pilsner Porter Stout Traditional Lager
Usage
Dual: Aroma And Bittering
Origin
New Zealand
Breeding/Supplier
Riwaka Research Station
Last Updated
  • 2026-04-02 18:13:19
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

  • #Noble (Classics)

    Back to the roots. European "Noble" hops are the elegant, low-bitterness varieties that defined Pilsners and Lagers for centuries. Explore the spicy, floral heritage of the Old World. Explore #Noble 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.