Cascade US T90 Hop Pellets – American Hops

Cascade US T90 Hop Pellets – American Hops

Cascade US T90 hop pellets are one of the true classics of American craft brewing. Released in 1972, Cascade helped define the character of American Pale Ale and remains one of the most recognisable and widely used hop varieties in brewing.

Our 2025 harvest Cascade US hops have an alpha acid of 6%, making them a great choice when you want plenty of classic hop flavour and aroma alongside a moderate level of bitterness.

Cascade is famous for its combination of grapefruit, citrus, floral, herbal and light pine character, making it particularly well suited to American Pale Ale, IPA, APA, Amber Ale and other hop-forward beers.

If you like a beer with that unmistakable fresh grapefruit and citrus hop character, Cascade is one of the hops that started it all.

Cascade US Hop Flavour & Aroma

Cascade has a remarkably distinctive character. While modern American varieties can push heavily towards mango, pineapple and tropical fruit, Cascade offers a brighter and more traditional citrus profile.

Depending on how you use it, you can expect a combination of:

• Grapefruit
• Citrus
• Floral character
• Herbal notes
• Light pine
• Grassy notes

The classic grapefruit and floral character is what makes Cascade so recognisable, while the subtle pine and herbal notes add a little extra depth.

It's a hop that can be used to create a beer with plenty of character without needing the huge quantities often associated with modern NEIPA-style hopping.

How to Use Cascade US T90 Hop Pellets

Cascade US T90 pellets are a versatile dual-purpose hop and can be used for bittering, flavour and aroma.

Bittering

Cascade can certainly be used as a bittering hop, particularly in traditional American Pale Ales and IPAs.

With our 6% alpha acid 2025 harvest, it won't provide the same bitterness efficiency as a high-alpha hop such as Magnum, but that can be useful when you want your bittering addition to contribute some of Cascade's classic character as well.

For a more modern recipe, Cascade can also be paired with a higher-alpha bittering hop while being reserved for flavour and aroma additions.

Late Kettle Additions

Late additions are where Cascade really starts to show what it can do.

Adding Cascade during the final 5–15 minutes of the boil can bring out its grapefruit, citrus and floral character, while still contributing some bitterness.

A late Cascade addition works particularly well in American Pale Ale, where you want the hop flavour to remain obvious without making the beer excessively bitter.

Whirlpool / Hop Stand

Cascade works beautifully in the whirlpool.

Adding Cascade US to the whirlpool or hop stand allows you to build plenty of fresh citrus, grapefruit and floral character while keeping the bitterness contribution relatively controlled.

Try it in a Pale Ale alongside a small early bittering addition, or use a generous whirlpool charge for a more modern interpretation of the classic American Pale Ale.

Dry Hopping

Cascade is an excellent dry-hopping hop, particularly if you're looking for classic citrus and floral aroma rather than the intense tropical fruit character of newer varieties.

Dry hopping can bring forward the distinctive grapefruit, citrus, floral and herbal notes that Cascade is famous for.

Try Cascade on its own for a single-hop American Pale Ale, or combine it with other varieties to add a classic citrus layer to a more modern hop profile.

Cascade US Hop Specifications

Our Cascade US T90 hop pellets are from the 2025 harvest.

• Hop variety: Cascade
• Harvest: 2025
• Origin: USA
• Type: T90 hop pellets
• Alpha Acid: 6%
• Use: Bittering, flavour and aroma
• Best uses: Late kettle additions, whirlpool and dry hopping
• Flavour: Grapefruit, citrus, floral, herbal and pine
• Ideal beer styles: American Pale Ale, IPA, APA, Amber Ale, Pale Ale and other hop-forward beers.

The 6% alpha acid figure is useful when planning your recipe, particularly if you're using Cascade for bittering as well as flavour.

Always use the alpha acid value printed on your packet when calculating bitterness, as alpha acid levels naturally vary between harvests and individual lots.

Brewing with Cascade US Hops

Cascade is one of those hops that can be used in almost any part of a hop recipe.

Want to brew a classic American Pale Ale? Cascade is one of the obvious choices.

Want a single-hop Cascade beer? It's a great way to experience the variety's unmistakable grapefruit and floral character.

Want to give a modern IPA a more traditional American hop edge? Cascade can work brilliantly alongside bigger varieties.

Cascade pairs particularly well with Centennial, Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic.

Combining Cascade with Citra, for example, can put the classic grapefruit and floral character of Cascade alongside Citra's bigger tropical and citrus profile.

For a more traditional American combination, Cascade and Centennial make a particularly good pairing, bringing together grapefruit, citrus, floral and pine character.

Cascade – The Hop That Helped Define American Craft Beer

Cascade isn't simply another American hop variety.

Released in 1972, it became one of the defining aroma hops of the American craft brewing movement. Its use in beers such as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale helped establish the bright grapefruit, citrus and floral character that many drinkers now associate with American Pale Ale.

More than 50 years later, Cascade is still incredibly relevant.

Modern hops may have moved towards bigger tropical fruit flavours, but there is something very satisfying about a beer built around that classic combination of grapefruit, citrus and floral hop character.

For home brewers, Cascade is also a great hop to keep in the cupboard because it works equally well in a traditional American Pale Ale or as part of a more modern hop blend.

Buy Cascade US T90 Hop Pellets from Grain Over Sands

Whether you're brewing a classic American Pale Ale, citrus-forward IPA or experimenting with one of the original stars of American craft brewing, our Cascade US T90 hop pellets are a great choice.

Our 2025 harvest Cascade has an alpha acid of 6%, making it particularly useful for flavour and aroma additions while still offering useful bitterness potential.

Use it in the late kettle, whirlpool or dry hop to bring out that unmistakable combination of grapefruit, citrus and floral character.

Grapefruit. Citrus. Floral. A true American classic — Cascade is still doing the business after more than 50 years.