Beverage
Cascade
S tier
Cascade is the foundational American aroma hop—grapefruit, floral, medium alpha—that launched craft pale ale identity in the late twentieth century. Released from USDA breeding, it remains widely grown and instantly recognisable. Bitterness is pleasant; aroma defines the style. Dry-hop and late-add in American pale ales and IPAs; still useful in lighter craft lagers for citrus lift. The reference “citrus American hop” before bigger tropical cultivars arrived.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Dry HopIPALate KettlePale Ale
Traits
American AromaCitrusCraft ClassicFloralGrapefruitIconic
History
US
Cascade was released and soon defined American craft pale ale aroma.
US
Sierra Nevada and peers made Cascade the smell of US craft beer.
Cascade remained essential even as Citra-era hops took IPA headlines.