Alora (Va Bene) IPA

About This Beer

First trial with Alora, a Hopsteiner aroma hop commercialised in 2023, brewed 25 January 2026.

The variety carries unusually high selinene, a rare sesquiterpene that survives through to finished beer as lasting citrus and stone fruit, plus significant 3MH precursors that express tropical and passionfruit notes when paired with a thiol-active yeast. Pomona was the obvious partner.

The recipe strips back to essentials so the hop can speak: Golden Promise for a clean base, Vienna for body, and Alora running the entire schedule solo.

Brew day

Seventy-five minute boil, Alora at 60, 30 and 10 minutes, then a 20 minute whirlpool at 75°C to capture direct aroma and 3MH transfer.

Fermentation

Two packets of Pomona at 18.5°C. Fast start as expected, about 25 points down by 48 hours. Primary at 18.5°C then raised to 21°C for cleanup. Single dry hop of Alora for four days. Clean throughout.

The result

Packaged 8 February. Keg by closed transfer plus bottles for trials.

Sampled 5 February, and Alora shows its signature in full: peach, apricot, subtle melon, with tropical undertones from the Pomona pairing. No harsh edges, good malt support without sweetness, crisp finish.

Alora as a solo hop works. The selinene base gives lasting aroma that does not fade quickly, and Pomona brought out the tropical side of the 3MH potential. Worth running again, possibly with a longer dry hop to push more character forward.