When Australian hop Pride of Ringwood was released in 1958 it had the distinction of being the hop with the highest alpha acid content in the world. Though that title has been long surpassed it is still an incredibly popular bittering hop. Best utilized fresh, Pride of Ringwood is primarily a bittering hop but also exhibits spicy, fruity aromas when used as a late addition.
The variety was developed by Bill Nash at the Ringwood Hop Research Station in Ringwood, Victoria. At that time, Bill also worked for the Carlton and United Brewery. It was bred from English variety Pride of Kent through open pollination.
Pride of Ringwood once made up the vast majority of hops grown in Australia and at it’s peak reached 90% of total crop acreage. Elsewhere Pride of Ringwood is considered too late harvest for the US but was at one stage also grown in Kashmir, India. While the Australian Pride of Ringwood crop is largely disease free, when grown in other locations it can be susceptible to downy mildew.
Though it is primarily used in Australian lagers, there are plenty of examples of its use in the US. Buffalo Bill Brewery uses it in their Tasmanian Devil brew. Australian’s would be most familiar with its use in beers by Carlton and United Breweries, Fosters and Coopers.
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| Also Known As | |
| Characteristics | Spicy, fruity aroma |
| Purpose | Bittering |
| Alpha Acid Composition | 7%-11% |
| Beta Acid Composition | 4%-8% |
| Co-Humulone Composition | 33%-39% |
| Country | Australia |
| Cone Size | Medium to large |
| Cone Density | Compact |
| Seasonal Maturity | Mid-Late |
| Yield Amount | 1010-1560 kg/hectare (900-1400 lbs/cre) |
| Growth Rate | High |
| Resistant to | Verticillium Wilt |
| Susceptible to | Downy mildew |
| Storability | Retains 45-55% alpha acid after 6 months storage at 20ºC (68ºF) |
| Ease of Harvest | |
| Total Oil Composition | 1.21 mL/100g |
| Myrcene Oil Composition | 25%-53% |
| Humulene Oil Composition | 2%-8% |
| Caryophyllene Oil | 5%-10% |
| Farnesene Oil | 1% |
| Substitutes | East Kent Golding, Centennial, Galena, Cluster |
| Style Guide | Amber Ale, Lager, Fruit Lambic, Pale Ale, Australian Lager, Strong Ale, Golden Ale, American Pale Ale |
Where to Buy Pride of Ringwood HopsAs a listing requirement, all suppliers below ship nationally to their respective countries. |
BeerCo (Australia)
Amazon (USA)
Do you sell this hop? Contact Us.
References
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Pride_of_Ringwood
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=jLabuEqJNNsC&pg=PA119&lpg=PA119&dq
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=_H1yBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA204&lpg=PA204&dq=90%25+of+the+hops
https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=558
https://ychhops.com/varieties/pride-of-ringwood
Comments 1
Author
Thanks for the contribution John. PoR has a mixed reputation among Aussie brewers. If used the right way, and used fresh, it can certainly be a brilliant hop and one that is not only useful for bittering.