Surely one of the world oldest hop varieties, Splat hops date back as far as the 8th century and in the 16th century they were the first variety to be granted the German hop seal – a historically significant certification system predating the current, German Hop Provenance Law. Grown primarily in the Spalt region of Germany, it is one of …
Ultra
Ultra hops have traditionally only been grown only in the United States and even then in somewhat limited qualities. They were developed in Oregon in 1983, released commercially in 1995 and are a triploid variety rich in humulene, giving them a mildly spicy aroma and flavor. A combination of four parts Hallertau one part Saaz and one part an as …
Vanguard
Vanguard hops possess a unique acid profile. They feature a somewhat rare balance of low alpha acid and high beta acid and an oil profile dominated by high levels of humulene and yet very low levels of cohumulone. Despite exhibiting some similarities to Hallertau Mittelfrüh, surely as a result of their close lineage, this unusual profile gives Vanguard a pronounced …
Pacifica
Bred in New Zealand, triploid aroma hop Pacifica, or Pacific Hallertau as it is sometimes known, is the result of open pollination breeding of German hop Hallertauer Mittelfrüher. The hop was released by HortResearch, New Zealand following promising brewing trials in 1994. Like Hallertauer Mittelfrüher, Pacifica is mostly known for its aromatic properties. It features moderately low cohumulone and higher …
Liberty
Born in 1983, Liberty is half-sister to Crystal, Ultra and Mt. Hood. It originates from Hallertau Mittelfrüher and a disease resistant German aroma male. Liberty’s yield is low but it still enjoys popularity, especially in the US. It is a genetically sterile variety and not suitable for breeding. Harvest Moon Brewery uses Liberty liberally in their Full Moon Pale Ale …
Hallertauer Tradition
Hallertau Tradition is a Hüll-bred fine aroma hop originating from Hallertau Mittelfrüher, Hallertauer Gold and Saaz. Bred specifically for fungus and disease resistance, it succeeded in that effort and also features higher alpha acids than its parent varieties, low cohumulone and higher myrcene. It was released for commercial production in 1989. Its oil profile contributes to a wonderfully earthy and …
Crystal
Despite a relatively low yield, Crystal’s has made it a fairly popular hop. It’s woodsy, green, floral and fruity with herb and spice notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper. Extremely versatile, it’s even used for its notable aromatic qualities in IPAs and Bitters despite its low alpha acid content. First bred in 1983, it has an interesting lineage with …
Green Bullet
Green Bullet is a New Zealand hops variety, one of the first generation of new crosses attempted when Black Root Rot descended on New Zealand hops in 1949. Bred from Fuggle and an unspecified native parent, it has a special zing that has become New Zealand’s stock-in-trade. It’s a dual-use hop with high alpha acids, yet it has a smooth …
Hallertau (US)
Hallertau (US) is definitely a tenacious, Bavarian-style hop. It long dominated its heritage region and is still in demand by craft brewers for Bavarian-style ales. As an American hop, it is outperformed by Mt. Hood and Liberty but is still holding its own. Its low alpha acids and high humulene contribute to a mild, flowery and delicately spicy aroma and …
Hallertau
Hallertau, Hallertauer and Hallertauer Mittelfrüher are all names for the original German Hallertau variety. Dating back more than 100 years, it stems from an old German landrace and is one of the original four “noble” hops. It features a lightly flowery and spicy aroma. Though its popularity has been steadily declining over the past 50 years — primarily as a …