Chinook Hop Pellets Brewferm
Chinook hop pellets are the smell of the American Pacific Northwest in a foil pack — the variety that put pine into the craft beer vocabulary. Released in 1985 from the USDA breeding programme in Washington State, Chinook became the backbone of the original West Coast IPA movement and has never left: a high-alpha, genuinely dual-purpose hop whose bold pine-resin signature, pink grapefruit, and warm spice defined what "American hops" meant for a generation of brewers.
The profile is assertive and unmistakable. Pine leads — real forest-resin pine, not a polite herbal nod — backed by punchy grapefruit citrus, a distinct spicy edge, and a dank, sticky resin depth that modern hazy-era hops have largely bred away. With alpha acids typically in the 12–14% range, Chinook bitters efficiently and with character: a firm, assertive bitterness that suits the styles it built. One craft lesson worth knowing: Chinook's bittering is bold enough that very large early additions can read as rough — the classic move is a moderate bittering charge, then letting Chinook off the leash in the whirlpool and dry hop, where the pine-grapefruit aroma is pure West Coast nostalgia.
Chinook's second home is where it truly stands alone on a modern hop shelf: dark beer. Its pine and grapefruit cut through roasted malt like nothing else, making it the classic American hop for Black IPA, American stout, and hoppy porter — a Chinook-hopped stout is one of craft brewing's great combinations, resin and citrus riding over coffee-dark roast. Blend it with Centennial for the textbook West Coast citrus-pine axis, with Simcoe for layered modern pine, or over CTZ bittering for maximum dank.
Hop pellets
Processed hop cones compressed into pellets for improved storage, stability, and ease of use in brewing.
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Flavor & Aroma
- Bold pine and forest resin (signature)
- Punchy pink grapefruit
- Warm spice and dank, sticky depth
- Firm, assertive bitterness — old-school West Coast character
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Usage
IPA: West Coast IPA, American IPA, Black IPA, Double IPA, Red IPA
Pale Ale: American Pale Ale, Amber Ale
Dark: American Stout, Hoppy Porter, Winter Ale
True dual-purpose: moderate bittering charges, whirlpool, and dry hop all excel — go easy on very large early additions. Pairs exceptionally well with Centennial, Simcoe, Cascade, and CTZ.
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Quick facts
Origin: USA (Washington State, released 1985)
Type: Dual-purpose hop — high alpha
Alpha acids: typically 12–14%
Form: Pellets
Brand: Brewferm
Use: Bittering, whirlpool, dry hop — West Coast IPA and dark American styles
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Related products
- Brewferm Centennial Hop Pellets — Chinook's pine plus Centennial's citrus is the textbook West Coast IPA axis
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Yakima Chief Simcoe T90 Hop Pellets
— layered modern pine over Chinook's old-school resin - Brewferm CTZ Hop Pellets — the dank bittering base under Chinook late additions
- Castle Malting Chocolat Malt 900–1100 EBC — Chinook over dark roast is the American stout and Black IPA blueprint
- Mangrove Jack's M44 US West Coast Yeast — the dry, clean strain that lets pine and grapefruit cut through
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📚 From the blog
- Dry Hopping Guide: Cryo vs T90, Timing & Technique — getting the most from a Chinook dry hop charge