Concentrated Lupulin Pellets

CGX™ is shorthand for cryogenics. CGX pellets are concentrated lupulin pellets that use advanced patent-pending cryogenic technology to deliver pellets jam-packed with resins and oils that are approximately double the dose of a T-90.

CGX pellets are similar to other cryogenic hops in that they utilize cryogenic processing. However, CGX uses its own unique patent-pending process.

CGX can be used to replace T-90 pellets at a rate of 40-50% weight by volume. It’s typically used in the whirlpool and fermenter, but some brewers use CGX in the kettle as a natural for bittering instead of extracts. CGX can be used alone, but it truly shines when used in conjunction with T-90 pellets, which gives your beer clean hop notes while maintaining a good body and mouthfeel. 

CGX is available for contract and spot purchase. The Brewer Portal will always have current availability and allow you to quickly and easily purchase and track your orders.

CGX is produced from 100% natural whole-leaf hops in our Safe Quality Food (SQF)-certified facility, which is powered entirely by renewable energy. Whether we’re harvesting hops or processing them, our goal is to capture the most potent aromas and flavors with as little degradation as possible. Oxygen and temperature are the enemies of that goal. CGX uses a low-temperature, nitrogen-rich environment to keep our hops cold throughout the process, which limits their exposure to oxygen and captures optimal expressiveness. 

More specifically, CGX uses a patent-pending process that cryogenically lowers temperatures to -30 °F to -50 °F. This enables lupulin to be separated from bract material through a series of sieving steps. Subsequently, the lupulin is standardized for concentration in a mixing vessel prior to palletization.

Although both make use of concentrated lupulin, there are several key differences: 

• Cryogenic cooling vs. mechanical cooling: Cryogenically processed hops are processed at cooler temperatures with much less oxygen than conventional T-45 processes that utilize antiquated mechanical cooling technology.
• CGX pellets are engineered much differently than a type 45 hop pellet. CGX pellets are processed at cooler temperatures with less die compression, making them softer and more resinous with greater retention of key flavor and aroma compounds compared to traditional type 45 pellets.

Yes. The reduction of vegetative matter reduces trub loss, resulting in more sellable beer per batch.

We’re able to pack up to twice the lupulin into a pellet, so you only need half as much to achieve the desired hop profile. That translates into roughly half as much packaging (cardboard and foil), freight (fuel and emissions), and cold storage (electricity and freon).