Hop Substitution Quantity Calculator

Work out hop substitution quantity instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Hop Substitution Quantity Calculator

For bittering additions, substitute on alpha acid units: new mass = original mass x original alpha / substitute alpha. For late and dry hop additions, alpha acid is irrelevant and substitution should be by mass adjusted for the relative intensity of the oil profile.

Formulas

Bittering substitution

Substitute mass = original mass x original alpha % / substitute alpha %

Aroma substitution

Substitute mass = original mass x relative aroma intensity

Worked example

With the default values below, Hop Substitution Quantity Calculator returns Substitute Mass For Equal Bitterness of 42.353. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Original Hop Massminimum 0 g: 30 g
Original Alpha Acidaccepts 0.01–30 %: 12 %
Substitute Alpha Acidaccepts 0.01–30 %: 8.5 %
Aroma Intensity Adjustmentaccepts 10–300 %: 100 %

Results

Substitute Mass For Equal Bitterness: 42.353
Substitute Mass For Aroma Additions: 30.000
Alpha Acid Units To Match: 3.6000
Change In Hop Mass: 12.353

Step by step

1Values used
2Bittering substitution
3Aroma substitution
4Substitute Mass For Equal Bitterness= 42.353
5Substitute Mass For Aroma Additions= 30.000
6Alpha Acid Units To Match= 3.6000
7Change In Hop Mass= 12.353

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the rule differ for aroma hops?

Aroma comes from essential oils, which do not track alpha acid. Substituting an aroma hop on alpha acid units gives the wrong quantity and the wrong character.

How close is a substitute really?

Alpha acid can be matched exactly, but cohumulone ratio and oil composition cannot. Published substitution charts group hops by character, and the result is always an approximation.