Strata

Bold dank and resinous character with tropical fruit, mango, and citrus notes, with a signature weed-like anchor.

Where It Lives

• Piney & Dank (primary)
• Tropical & Citrus (secondary)

Storytime

Strata is a newer American hop developed by Indie Hops in Oregon and released in 2018. It stands out for its unique combination of heavy dank and resinous character alongside bright tropical fruit, especially mango and citrus. While it shares some DNA with older “C-hops,” it brings a more modern, pungent, and fruit-forward twist. Many brewers describe it as having a slight cannabis-like aroma layered with tropical notes, which makes it popular in hazy and West Coast IPAs.

Key Specs

• Alpha Acids: 11 – 14%
• Total Oil: 2.5 – 3.5 mL/100g
• Origin: United States
• Form: Pellet
• Common Substitutions: Simcoe or Mosaic (in some recipes)
• More tech specs here

Practical Use

Strata is mainly used for aroma and flavor. It performs well in late boil, whirlpool, and dry hopping, where it delivers strong dank, resinous, and tropical character. Because it’s quite pungent, it can easily dominate a beer if used too heavily. Most people find 2–4 oz total in 5 gallons works well for solid impact. Going heavier can make the dank and resinous notes feel overwhelming or harsh.

Brew day tip: It pairs especially well with Citra, Mosaic, or Simcoe when you want to push big dank and tropical character. It can also work on its own in bolder IPAs if you’re looking for something with more edge than pure fruit-forward hops.