Feedback for an authentic Hops scent profile

[EliseM]

I am a scent designer at a custom fragrance company and we are working on a Hops fragrance oil that can be used to make candles, soaps, beard oil, and other scented products. We're working on some different formulations right now, but I was curious what were the most popular types of Hops used in home brewing? We'd like to do four different Hops scents, but want them to be familiar to home brewers so you would understand that one has more citrus top notes, while a different one might have more pine or resin notes. Any feedback about what varietals of Hops to focus on first that would be the most popular? Thanks in advance for your feedback and help on this project!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Some people like hops that smell like cat pee.

 

[desabat]

Citrus, piney, earthy, floral and spice are the most common in beer. How do you extract the hop oils?

 

[bleme]

I opened up a package of Cascade hops this weekend and my mom said "Bath & Body Works is missing out. They should package that!".

 

[Lefou]

Some people like hops that smell like cat pee.

...and skunk.
For the life of me, I'll never understand why unless it's some biological preference. Isomerized hop acids and oils get affected by UV rays and I'd assume that could be true with all hops. Anyway, skunk or cat pee doesn't appeal to me as anything I'd want to wear or eat.

Hops have different levels of aromatic oils, some hops more than others, but citrus seems to have a wide appeal, as does pine. Not everyone is going to agree on what's best, but as general consensus, I'd probably go with what hops might be the highest selling and most popular as aroma hops.
For me, hops are an ingredient and need to be put in context with the style of beer brewed. Say for instance, you were walking in a green pine forest you won't expect to be overwhelmed by orange scent. It's also why some hops go in lighter-colored beers and not dark ones, and why preferences for certain colors change with the seasons.

I know hop candy is available for folks who are hop fanatics. Why not hop perfume?

 

[Lefou]

Cascade, Citra...
Nelson Sauvin, Huell melon, Mandarina Bavaria...
Saaz, Mosaic, even Fuggle..

Anyway, the Brewer's Association does an annual hop survey and 2016's Top Four most popular hops were Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe. 2017 list anyone?

Off-topic comment and gratuitous opinion, but maybe the reason these four hops were the top four is because they're commonly found in those damned faddish hopbombs. (rant off and running away)

 

[EliseM]

Thanks for all of the feedback guys! I'm keeping plenty of notes, this helped me out a lot I appreciate it all of your feedback and input!

 

[B-Hoppy]

There's a few companies out there trying to replicate the oil profiles of some 'hard to get' hops but it's very difficult to get it right as there are literally hundreds of compounds found in hop oil and sometimes it's the ones that are found in very small quantities that are responsible for that particular character that makes a certain variety desirable. I guess it would depend on how close you want to get to your product smelling like the 'real thing' that will determine how much effort you're willing to put into creating it. Cool article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12161-013-9767-5

I do know that if you're going to use some actual generic hop oil as a base, there are compounds included that will oxidize over a short period of time giving the scent of old cheese! We've experienced this first hand on many occasions later in the evening after working the Hopunion booth at he Oregon Brewers Festival, haha! Hoppy Trails~