Comet is a USDA hop released in 1974 and now used for both bittering and aroma. Yakima Chief Hops describes its current aroma groups as grassy, citrus, stone fruit and tropical. That documented profile is a better replacement brief than the vague label “vintage American.”
Comet history and reference data
| Field | Supplier reference | Use in planning |
|---|---|---|
| Development | Developed in 1961; USDA release in 1974 | Historical identity, not a sensory guarantee |
| Aroma groups | Grassy, citrus, stone fruit, tropical | Score each dimension separately |
| Alpha acids | 8–10.5% | Use the package value for calculations |
| Beta acids | 4–5.5% | Typical range only |
| Total oil | 1–2.5 mL/100 g | Not a direct aroma-dose formula |
The supplier reports that commercial production stopped in the 1980s before a later return to dual-purpose use. That history does not establish scarcity, price or availability in the reader's market today.
Adjust bittering with the actual analyses
If a hypothetical recipe uses 30 g of Comet marked 9% alpha acids and the available bittering lot is marked 12%, with product form, time, wort volume and utilisation assumptions unchanged:
30 × 9 ÷ 12 = 22.5 g
This checks labelled alpha-acid mass only. It does not predict identical measured IBUs or aroma. Use the hop substitution calculator and retain the packet values with the recipe.
Compare a Comet aroma candidate without forcing a match
Yakima Chief's comparison tool lists Simcoe and Warrior among similar or recommended varieties, but their profile rows differ from Comet. Treat them as possible experiments, not one-for-one replacements. Decide whether the beer needs grassy character, citrus, stone fruit or tropical character most, then document what a candidate changes.
- Use one base beer and coded equal portions.
- Hold product form, mass per litre and contact conditions constant.
- Score grassy, citrus, stone fruit and tropical independently.
- Record unexpected attributes before revealing the varieties.
Source and limits
BrewMyBeer has not run this trial or verified current market pricing. Save the lots and results in Beer Lab; use the hop replacement guide for wider choices.
Learning check: why can the 22.5 g result not choose the aroma replacement?
It uses alpha-acid percentages. Aroma selection depends on the documented profile, lot, product and process.