Catty Aroma in Hops: When Your Beer Smells Like… Litter Box

The unique scent of cat pee might not sound appealing in your beer, yet some hop varieties bring this distinctive aroma to the brewing party. This catty character comes from specific sulfur compounds called thiols.

Which are also responsible for creating amazing fruity notes!

Yup, what we get in many popular hop varieties, so this is tricky.

You might notice these catty notes most prominently in fresh Cascade hops, where they mingle with citrus and floral aromas. Don’t worry if you detect these scents. They often mellow out over time. 

When you open a beer with fresh Simcoe hops, you might catch a whiff of this feline fragrance as well. But it usually transforms into pleasant pine and citrus notes as the beer ages.

The brewing yeast you choose can affect these aromas too. Some strains, like WLP101, can boost these interesting compounds, while others might keep them in check. Think of it as your brewing secret weapon.

You can control these aromas by picking the right hop timing and yeast combo.

Key Takeaways

• Catty aromas in hops come from sulfur compounds that can also createl fruit notes
• Fresh Cascade and Simcoe hops often display catty characteristics that fade with time
• Your choice of brewing yeast can significantly impact hop aroma intensity

Hop Varieties With Catty Flavors And Aromas

Some hop varieties can give your beer distinct catty notes that remind you of your neighbor’s garden during tom cat mating season. These unusual aromas come from specific sulfur compounds in the hops.

Catty Aroma In Hop Varieties

Wild American varieties are the king of catty aromas. You’ll get intense notes of cat pee in Cluster and Canadian Redvine. If you’re brave enough to use it, start with small amounts.

Summit hops might bring moderate catty notes with garlic and onion undertones. 

You might want to use these carefully – a little goes a long way!

Citra can sometimes give mild catty hints, but these blend nicely with its tropical fruit and citrus character. Don’t worry too much about the cat here.

Other varieties that might have subtle catty notes:

• Simcoe (low intensity, plus pine and berry)
• Mosaic (very low intensity, masked by fruit)
• Crystal (faint catty, mostly floral)

The catty aroma comes from specific compounds called thiols, especially 4MMP. These same compounds appear in Sauvignon Blanc grapes and box tree plants.

Pro tip: If you want to avoid the cat completely…

…stick to traditional European noble hops like Hallertau and Saaz.