Strata
Strata is one of the standout American hops of the 2010s — an Oregon variety beloved for a juicy passionfruit-and-strawberry fruitiness layered over a signature "dank," cannabis-like undertone. It has become a favorite of the New England IPA generation.
#Variety Statistics
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Alpha acid | ~11–13% |
| Origin | USA (Oregon, Willamette Valley) |
| Year released | 2018 |
| Breeding | Oregon State University / Indie Hops; daughter of Perle (designated X-331) |
| Key oils | Myrcene-forward; thiol-rich, strong dank/fruit oil profile |
| Flavor descriptors | Passionfruit, strawberry, grapefruit, melon, dank, "cannabis" |
| Typical styles | New England IPA, West Coast IPA, Double IPA, American IPA |
#Character
Strata pulls off a rare double act: bright, juicy tropical and berry fruit sitting on top of an unmistakable dank, herbal, cannabis-resin base. That combination gives it depth — it reads as both fruity and "serious," making it equally at home in a soft hazy and a resinous West Coast IPA.
Strata emerged from the Indie Hops / Oregon State University program, a privately funded effort to develop new aroma hops outside the dominant Yakima industry. Its success showed that Oregon's Willamette Valley could produce world-class aroma varieties.
#Use in IPA
A dual-purpose hop, Strata is used overwhelmingly for aroma — whirlpool and dry hop — where its thiol-rich chemistry responds well to Biotransformation. It pairs naturally with Citra and Mosaic but is distinctive enough to anchor a single-hop beer.
Where some brewers fight a hop's dank side, Strata invites it. A single-hop Strata IPA showcases the variety's hallmark fruit-meets-cannabis complexity better than any blend.
#Continue Reading
- Mosaic — a comparably dank, complex hop
- Sabro — another distinctive modern variety
- Hop Variety Index — Strata in context
- Hop Growing Regions — Oregon's emergence as a hop region