Hold My Beer: Dank Flavors in Brewing Science

What does “dank” mean in beer? Defining the aroma, why it’s trending, and how brewers achieve it.

Few beer descriptors are as instantly recognizable, or as debated, as “dank.” In beer, dank typically refers to a potent, aromatic profile characterized by pungent, resinous, herbal, and sometimes earthy or sulfur-adjacent notes that are often perceived before the first sip. These aromas can be so expressive that the beer announces itself as soon as it reaches the bar.

While intensely aromatic beers are nothing new, the term dank entered the modern brewing lexicon in the early 2000s and has evolved significantly since. Once used dismissively to describe beers that seemed overly aggressive or unrefined, dank has since been re-contextualized by brewers and consumers as a deliberate, desirable flavor characteristic, particularly in hop-forward IPAs, experimental hybrids, and even NA beers and hop waters.

So what actually makes a beer taste or smell dank? Is the perception of “dankness” purely subjective, or rooted in chemistry and process? Answering those questions requires looking beyond the glass to the aroma compounds, formulation choices, and brewing techniques that shape it.

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What “Dank” Means for Brewers

For brewers, the foundation of the term “dank” is rooted in pungent aromas that toe the line between desirable and… funky. Sometimes, hops with resinous earthy and piney aromas are considered dank, while others associate it with fuel-forward flavors and funky citrus aromas. Honestly, that sounds pretty great to us, but dank hasn’t always been the most positive descriptor in the beer world.

Definitions from the 1980s associated it with the dampness of moldy basements. Fortunately, the rise of craft brewing coincided with growing cannabis legalization to create just the right conditions for this pungent descriptor to transform into the alluring experience you may have enjoyed in a dank IPA today. 

The number of consumers who appreciated both cannabis and hops continued to grow, while U.S. brewers continued to experiment with bigger, bolder flavors and aromas through dry-hopping. This newfound appreciation for nuanced hop flavors and aromas, along with the arrival of aroma hops like Citra®, led to an explosion of brewing creativity that opened the door for the dank revolution. 

Today, dank is a positive term in the beer industry as the national trend to legalize cannabis has only made it more apparent what consumers of both products have long known; cannabis and hops contain a wealth of deliciously complex flavors.

The Science Behind Dank Flavor & Aroma in Beer

Flavor and aroma science has come a long way over the past few years, and much of our understanding of dank flavor and aroma has come from studying cannabis aroma.

Today, we know that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) called cannasulfur compounds (CSCs), specifically those with a prenyl (3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl) functional group, are responsible for the distinctly gassy or skunk-like scent found in some cannabis cultivars. Many of the same or similar compounds are also found in hops, which isn’t wildly surprising considering they’re both members of the cannabaceae family. This is part of the reason several hop varieties are so dang dank.

Dank Hop Varieties

For a variety with juicy fruit notes that contrast with the pungency of dank, you’ll want to check out southern hemisphere hops like Nectaron®. It’s got tropical flavors like passionfruit and pineapple, turns the volume up with notes of citrusy grapefruit, and then delivers base notes of subtle dank that’ll leave your palate thirsting for another sip. 

On the other hand, intense American hop varieties like Simcoe® balance dank pine-forward aromas with fruits like berries and passionfruit, while Strata® brings a robust dankness that is barely tamed by notes of tropical stone fruit.

Funky Yeasts and Dank Brewing Techniques

Hop selection isn’t the only method for dialing up the dank in your beer, though. For example, Food & Wine explains that Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ale yeast) can create “additional spicy, fruity, and earthy aromas and flavors,” while Brettanomyces “yields funky, barnyard aromas, as well as notes of tobacco, spice, and leather.”¹

There’s also a LOT to be said for the brewing method, and we’re not just talking about dry-hopping. You can select the “dankest” ingredients, but choices like temperature, pressure, and aeration can impact ester formation, phenols, and more. Ultimately, a knowledgeable brewer can artfully combine hops, yeast, and even malt in unique ways to create the pungent, dank flavor and aroma of their dreams.

The Quantum Series is a suite of hop-derived, varietal-specific beverage solutions with the finest, most aromatic hop notes on the market that won't add sugar, calories, or mouthfeel. Just recognizable hop flavors and aromas that are ideal for every style of beer.

Brewing Solutions for Enhanced Dank Characteristics

Brewers on the hunt for enhanced dank characteristics can incorporate authentic flavors and aromas of cannabis. The shared aromatic compounds create a natural bridge between hops and cannabis, giving brewers access to flavor and aroma tools that are both familiar and novel. 

Using actual cannabis flower is an option, but legal hurdles often make it impractical. Fortunately, it’s simple for craft brewers to add water-soluble terpene solutions, like the TTB-approved BrewGas Series, to craft their next dank beer.

These are true-to-type, botanically-derived cannabis profiles that easily infuse beer with all the complexities of cannabis flavor and aroma. They’re flowable, they don’t stick to the tank, and they contain no THC or CBD. That means they won’t add any cannabinoids, and they won’t make your drinks psychoactive. So, while they don’t contain cannabis, they do smell like you’ve just opened a bag of the dankest cannabis flower. 

4 Brewing Ideas for Your Dank Beverage Menu

If this is your first foray into the world of dank beverages, we’ve got a few ways for you to get started fast. 

1. Add a Dank Twist To Your Top Selling Beer

Instead of starting from scratch, take a beer that’s already familiar and popular with customers and give it a dose of dank. Start it as a limited-edition offering to gauge interest, tweak as needed, then ramp up production when your customers can’t get enough.

2. Create Dank Flavor Symmetry with Complementary Pairings

Have a Hazy IPA with a soft, creamy mouthfeel? Pair it with the creamy citrus notes of White RNTZ. Love the pine-forward resin of a hop like Krush™? The citrus and pine of Super Lemon Haze will make it positively sing. 

3. Brew Exciting Flavor Harmonies with Contrasting Pairings

For eye-widening contrast, consider unexpected pairings like subtle Saaz and sweet Gelato. The herbal notes of that noble hop will become even more sophisticated next to earthy, berry-forward Gelato. On the other hand, you can skip subtlety and blend the face-melting gasoline of Super Sour Diesel with triploid hop Nelson Sauvin®. Your customers will never see it coming, and their tastebuds may never recover.

4. Beginner Friendly Hop Waters for NA Beverage Options

Need a low-effort, high-reward method to get started? Hop water is fast and cheap to make, and it appeals to a rapidly growing segment of customers with a significantly lower lift than may be required for other beverages. That makes it the IDEAL playground to experiment with dank flavors and aromas. 

Dank beverages are just getting started. Start experimenting with dank cannabis and hop flavors and create completely new beer experiences that redefine the world of brewing.

Abstrax | Brew Dank Beverages Your Customers Love

At Abstrax, we provide novel solutions for beverage manufacturers of all sizes looking to streamline, innovate, and gain a competitive edge. With our knowledge, technology, and extensive resources, we’ve crafted our collections to provide recognizable flavors and aromas that consumers love.

Contact us today, and we’ll help you fine-tune dank formulations to make your 2026 beverage menu your best yet.

Holl, J. (2024, May 17). A guide to beer yeast types and how they shape the flavor of your brew. Food & Wine. https://www.foodandwine.com/beer-yeast-types-8650417