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Pride of Ringwood and Super Pride are Australia’s two most important bittering hops, both bred at the Hop Products Australia research program in Tasmania, both carrying the specific resinous-herbal character of traditional Australian hop brewing, and both responsible for the bittering backbone of most Australian commercial lagers and ales for decades. I’ve used both in Australian lager clones and the comparison is instructive: Pride of Ringwood built Australian brewing; Super Pride is its high-alpha successor.
Pride of Ringwood vs. Super Pride: key specifications compared
Pride of Ringwood: Developed by Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) in Victoria, Australia, first grown commercially in the 1960s. The defining Australian bittering hop for most of the 20th century. Alpha acids: 9–11% (high for its era). Beta acids: 5–6%. Cohumulone: 36–40% (high, produces a slightly harsher, more assertive bitterness than low-cohumulone European varieties). Total oil: 0.9–1.3 mL/100g. Primary components: myrcene (40–50%), caryophyllene (15–20%, contributes the resinous, herbal quality). Primary flavor/aroma: herbal, resinous, slightly earthy, mild citrus at late additions, Pride of Ringwood is the hop character that defined Australian commercial brewing from the 1960s through the 1990s. VB (Victoria Bitter), Tooheys, and most Australian macro lagers used Pride of Ringwood as their primary bittering hop, which is why Australian commercial lager has a distinctive slightly resinous, herbal bitterness compared to German or American macro lager. Super Pride: Developed by Hop Products Australia as a higher-alpha successor to Pride of Ringwood, released commercially in the 1990s. Alpha acids: 13–16% (significantly higher than Pride of Ringwood). Beta acids: 7–9% (high, excellent bittering stability, longer shelf life). Cohumulone: 32–36% (slightly lower than Pride of Ringwood, marginally cleaner bittering). Total oil: 0.8–1.1 mL/100g. Primary flavor/aroma: clean-herbal, slightly resinous, Super Pride produces a similar directional character to Pride of Ringwood but with higher alpha efficiency and marginally smoother bitterness from its lower cohumulone. It is primarily a bittering hop with minimal aroma contribution.
Australian bittering hops: when to use each
Use Pride of Ringwood when: brewing traditional Australian lager or ale clones where authenticity to the pre-craft era Australian hop character is important. Victoria Bitter clones, Tooheys New clones, and any recipe targeting the classic Australian commercial lager bitterness profile should use Pride of Ringwood. The high cohumulone means the bitterness is more assertive and slightly harsh compared to European varieties, this is a feature, not a bug, in the authentic Australian macro lager context. Pride of Ringwood is also historically interesting for Australian craft brewing: many early Australian craft breweries used Pride of Ringwood before Galaxy and Vic Secret became available, and some deliberately use it in “heritage” or “retro” recipe concepts. At low rates (15–20 IBU), Pride of Ringwood’s bitterness reads as background without harshness, it’s at higher rates that its cohumulone becomes noticeable. Use Super Pride when: you need high-alpha bittering efficiency from an Australian-origin hop without strong flavor commitment. Super Pride’s higher alpha and slightly lower cohumulone make it the better pure bittering hop choice for Australian ales and lagers where the bittering hop contribution should be background and where cost efficiency (less weight needed per IBU) matters. Super Pride is also better suited to styles where clean bittering is required at higher IBU levels, an Australian IPA at 50+ IBU works better with Super Pride’s marginally cleaner bitterness than Pride of Ringwood’s higher cohumulone at equivalent rates. For Australian craft ales: Neither Pride of Ringwood nor Super Pride are commonly used in modern Australian craft beer, which has shifted almost entirely to Galaxy, Vic Secret, and imported American hops for both bittering and aroma. Both varieties are primarily of historical interest to homebrewers and for authentic Australian commercial lager clones.
Common Questions
Is the distinctive bitterness of Australian commercial lager really from Pride of Ringwood?
Yes, primarily, Pride of Ringwood’s high cohumulone (36–40%) contributes a specific assertive, slightly sharp bitterness that is part of what makes VB, Tooheys, and traditional Australian commercial lagers recognizable to anyone who grew up drinking them. The bitterness is different from European commercial lagers (which use low-cohumulone Noble hops) and different from American commercial lagers (which use very low hop rates overall). At the relatively modest IBU levels of Australian commercial lager (typically 18–25 IBU), the cohumulone effect is present but not harsh, it contributes a brisk, clean finish that Australian drinkers associate with session refreshment. As Australian commercial breweries have updated their recipes and sourcing over the decades, some have shifted away from Pride of Ringwood toward more cost-efficient or cleaner-bittering high-alpha varieties. Pride of Ringwood is less ubiquitous in Australian commercial brewing today than it was in its peak decades. For homebrewers: if you’re attempting an authentic Victoria Bitter or Tooheys New clone from the 1970s–1980s era, Pride of Ringwood is the historically correct bittering hop. Modern commercial versions of those beers may use different hops, but the heritage recipe calls for Pride of Ringwood.
