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Eclipse is a hop I came across while researching Washington State varieties, it’s a Yakima Chief Hops proprietary variety with mandarin orange as the primary character descriptor, and that turns out to be accurate. The mandarin note is softer and sweeter than the yellow citrus of Centennial or Cascade, more like ripe mandarin peel than grapefruit pith. I’ve used it in cream ales and session pale ales where I wanted citrus character without hop aggressiveness. Finding it at homebrew shops is inconsistent because production is limited; here’s how I substitute based on what Eclipse specifically contributes.
Eclipse hop flavor profile
Eclipse hops have a moderate alpha acid content (11–13% AA) with a citrus-forward profile dominated by mandarin orange, with supporting notes of stone fruit (peach, apricot), lemon, and a mild earthy-woody background. The mandarin character is softer and more rounded than grapefruit-dominant hops, it reads as sweet citrus rather than sharp citrus, which makes Eclipse useful in styles where citrus is welcome but aggressive hop bitterness isn’t the goal. Used as a late addition and dry hop in American pale ales, session IPAs, cream ales, and wheat beers. The mild earthy background gives it more dimension than a purely citrus hop, allowing it to serve as a dual-use variety in some recipes.
Best substitutes
Mandarina Bavaria (closest mandarin match): German variety bred specifically for tangerine and mandarin citrus character. The most direct substitute for Eclipse’s mandarin direction. Use 1:1. Amarillo (orange-citrus bridge): Orange, apricot, and floral, shares the sweet orange citrus direction of Eclipse without the mandarin specificity. Use 1:1. Sorachi Ace (lemon-citrus direction): Lemon and dill with citrus character, covers Eclipse’s lemon note but takes the beer in a more unusual direction. Use at 80% of the Eclipse quantity. Centennial (grapefruit pivot): More assertive citrus than Eclipse, use at 80% quantity and expect the citrus to be sharper and more prominent. Good fallback when Eclipse is unavailable and precise citrus character isn’t critical. Cascade (mild citrus): Softer grapefruit and floral, less mandarin-specific than Eclipse but keeps the beer in the citrus-floral family at similar intensity. Use 1:1.
Style-specific substitution
In cream ales and blonde ales where Eclipse provides gentle mandarin brightness: Mandarina Bavaria at 1:1 is the most accurate substitute, same soft citrus register, similar intensity. In American pale ales where Eclipse is a late addition for citrus character: Amarillo at 1:1 shifts the citrus from mandarin toward orange-apricot but stays in the sweet citrus family. In session IPAs where Eclipse is paired with other varieties: Cascade at 1:1 is an accessible fallback that won’t dramatically change the overall hop profile.
Common Questions
How does Eclipse compare to Mandarina Bavaria?
Eclipse and Mandarina Bavaria occupy very similar flavor territory, both are primarily mandarin-orange citrus hops with soft, sweet citrus character rather than sharp grapefruit. The main differences are origin and background note: Eclipse is American-grown with a mild earthy-woody background that gives it slight complexity beyond pure citrus; Mandarina Bavaria is German-grown with a cleaner, more refined continental quality and minimal background character. In a blind tasting of finished beers, the distinction is subtle, the Eclipse version might taste slightly more complex and earthy; the Mandarina Bavaria version might taste slightly cleaner and more straightforwardly citrusy. For homebrewing purposes, they’re effectively interchangeable, with Mandarina Bavaria being the more consistently available choice worldwide. If you’re brewing a German-style beer (Helles, wheat beer) and want mandarin character: Mandarina Bavaria is the more stylistically appropriate choice. For American ale styles: Eclipse or Mandarina Bavaria work equally well.
