Luminosa® was first launched with the 2022 Harvest as part of the Indie Hops Flavor Project. This hop can trace its origins back to 2013, when Shaun Townsend of Oregon State University’s hop breeding program collected open pollinated seed from a Sorachi Ace female.

‘Luminosa’ is Latin for ‘full of brightness’, so expect bright fresh fruit notes from this hop – think peach-mango lemonade, candied orange peel, boysenberry, papaya and guava. Luminosa® has very little resin/pine characteristics, so is incredibly versatile, and able to bring zippy top end citrus notes to beers.

The bright fresh fruits of Luminosa make us feel transported to the sunny white sands of a Caribbean beach, and inspired the name which is Latin for “full of brightness.”  Peach-mango lemonade, candied orange peel, boysenberry, papaya and guava can all be found. Unlike most “punchy” hops, Luminosa is almost completely void of the resinous/piney character that usually comes along for the ride—adding to the versatility of this hop.

Some kids turn out to be improvements on their parents—thank God! In 2013, hop breeder Shaun Townsend at Oregon State University decided to collect some open pollenated seed from a Sorachi Ace female. Hallelujah! We found a kid with mom’s striking citrus character that also took up fresh tropical fruits—AND managed to leave mom’s less desirable traits behind.

New England IPA

This is likely the beer style that most brewers will immediately apply Luminosa to. The range of fresh fruit flavours are a natural in hazies, and Luminosa has no sharp edges that conflict with these smooth beers. The “candied orange peel” hoppy sweetness doesn’t hurt either!

West Coast IPA

While hazies may be the first beer that comes to mind when smelling Luminosa, West Coast IPA as well as hybrids are totally in this hop’s realm. Combine with some Strata, Cascade, Citra or Chinook and you’ll get complimentary flavours with a touch of resinous backbone that keeps things crisp.

Helles/Kolsch/Pils

Luminosa is a fantastic hop for bringing bright fresh fruit flavours to these crisp beers, and you don’t have to worry about the hop resins interfering with the malt and fermentation flavours.

Pale Ale

Whether bright or hazy, pale ales promise to be a refreshing way to bring Luminosa flavors to the people. Combine with Cascade or Oregon Chinook and the new school meets old school magic comes to life.

Alpha Acid: 9 – 12%

Beta Acid: 4 – 5%

Cohumulone: 28.3%

Total Oil mL/100 g: 1.8 – 2.2

Myrcene: 43 – 54%

Humulene: 10 – 13%

Caryophyllene: 0

Farnesene: 3 – 7%

Brewing characteristics: Peach-Mango Lemonade | Orange peel | Boysenberry | Papaya | Guava

Beer Styles: Hazy IPA, IPAs, Pale Ale, Session IPA, Lagers

Usage: Aroma, Late Kettle Addition, Dry Hop

We contract and source our hops from the finest merchants and farms around the world, ensuring you get the chance to brew with the same high quality product that professional breweries use.

Using mylar bags which prevent light degradation of the hops, flushing the bags with nitrogen to remove oxygen and cold storage of them until ordered by you, ensures the hops are as fresh as possible.

If you want to learn more about hops and how to use them then check out our Help Centre where you will find blog posts and our Brew With Us ESSENTIALS and we also have some great content on our YouTube channel about hops too.