Nectaron

Pineapple and Passionfruit Powerhouse • New Zealand's Star Variety • Saturated Stone Fruit

Nectaron is New Zealand's most celebrated modern hop release, the product of two decades of breeding and prized for an intensely saturated profile of pineapple, passionfruit, and ripe peach. It arrived with enormous expectations and met them — few hops anywhere deliver this much tropical aroma per ounce.

With a robust alpha acid content of 12%, Nectaron works as a dual-purpose variety, though nearly every brewer deploys it late, where whirlpool and dry hop additions capture its remarkable fruit intensity.

Flavor & Aroma Profile

• Ripe golden pineapple
• Vivid passionfruit
• Juicy peach and stone fruit
• Sweet tropical fruit-salad depth
• Soft citrus undertone

Even modest late additions make a beer noticeably tropical; at full hazy-IPA rates Nectaron produces a dense, nectar-like fruit character that needs no supporting cast.

Brewing Applications

Nectaron is a staple ingredient in many modern hop-forward styles, including:

• Hazy / New England IPA
• American and NZ IPA
• Double IPA
• American Pale Ale
• Hoppy Wheat Ale
• NZ Pilsner

It also elevates hop blends instantly, adding tropical top-end to Citra, Mosaic, or fellow Kiwis like Motueka and Nelson Sauvin.

Usage Recommendations

For a 5 gallon batch, keep bittering to 0.25–0.5 oz at 60 minutes (or use a neutral bittering hop) and concentrate 1–2 oz in a sub-180°F whirlpool plus 1–2 oz in the dry hop. Light usage gives a tropical accent to pale ales and pilsners; heavy late usage delivers the full nectar experience the name promises.

Pair Nectaron with a soft, hazy-friendly yeast and a high-protein grist — its pineapple-peach profile is tailor-made for the juicy IPA format.

Specifications

• Alpha Acid: 12%
• Flavor Notes: Tropical, pineapple, passionfruit, stone fruit, peach
• Typical Use: Dual-purpose, strongest late
• Common Additions: Whirlpool, dry hop, 60 min
• Substitutes: Galaxy, Citra, Mosaic
• Beer Styles: Hazy IPA, IPA, double IPA, pale ale, NZ Pilsner

Whether you're crafting a dripping-juicy hazy, a tropical pale ale, or a new-school NZ Pilsner, Nectaron provides the pineapple-passionfruit saturation that has made it the most sought-after hop out of New Zealand.