General Information
Most U.S. varieties do not mind the heat (do well even in 100 + degrees with lots of water). A few U.S. varieties do not like the extreme heat (95 + degrees), like Centennial & Willamette. These 2 will grow but will stop flowering when the high heat arrives. Most European varieties will struggle a bit in high heat (95 +) and will produce low amounts of flowers or may not flower at all in super high heat (100 +). If you plant this year & can let them get established for at least 2 or 3 weeks before the cold comes (60s and below), then they will survive the winter. You will not get flowers this year but you will have plants that will be large for the start early next year & a good harvest next year. Hops can survive winters down to minus 20 degrees. They do best with at least some below freezing temps. (triggers life cycle & more growth/flowers). Keep these rhizomes in the refrigerator as soon as you get them. Plant then within a month of getting them and you will see good viable growth. Stock only stays in my refrigerators for 1 month and if it has not sold then it gets planted in my hop yard. I find the best luck w/ planting rhizomes if you put them 1/2 inch. to 1 inch. below the surface (no deeper than 1 inch.). Water them often for the 1st month. Do not let the topsoil get dry. If you are starting rhizomes in high heat areas & times (like 100 degrees for example), you will probably need to water every day, maybe twice a day. If you are in an area that gets good rain & warm temps. (75-90 degrees) at the same time, you will need to look out for 3 main mildew/mold issues: Downey Mildew (serious), Powdery Mildew, & Vericillium Wilt. If you do a simple search there are a few places online that show what each of these look like in hops. If you do not have enough warm temps. & summer left to plant in the ground, one can plant them in a pot and grow indoors during the winter. The root base will be large when the spring arrives and you can plant them in the ground with a good size and a head start (guaranteed flowers the 1st year this way). Do not grow hops in a pot/container as a permanent location. The roots grow very large and will most likely out grow your container very quickly. Do not try and store the roots in the refrig. for too long (after 3 months you will only get about 50% of them that are still viable and sprout). Fresh is best. We sell all year around.
Hop Variety Attributes
Brewer's Gold: Alpha 7-11% Beta 3-6%
British bittering hop. Resiny, spicy aroma with hints of black currant flavor.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Variety substitutes: Chinook, Galena, Nugget
Beer styles typically used in: Stouts, Dark Ale
Cascade: Alpha 4-7% Beta 4-7%
Aroma type with moderate bittering. Spicy/floral with hint of grapefruit.
Downy Mildew: resistant in crowns, moderately susceptable in shoots and flowers.
Verticilium Wilt: moderately resistant.
Variety substitutes: Centennial, Summit
Beer styles typically used in: Pale Ales, IPA, Porters
Centennial: Alpha 8-11% Beta 4-5%
Aroma and bittering hop. Floral/citrus like cascade.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Variety substitutes: Cascade, Columbus
Beer styles typically used in: Ales, IPA
Chinook: Alpha 12-14% Beta 3-4%
Bittering hop. Spicy pine-like aroma.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Variety substitutes: Brewer's Gold, Columbus, Galena, Nugget
Beer styles typically used in: American style Pale Ales
Crystal: Alpha 4-6% Beta 5-7%
Aroma hop used in finishing. Spicy/floral
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Variety substitutes: Liberty, Mt. Hood, Hallertauer, Tettnanger
Beer styles typically used in: German style Pilsner, Lager, ESB, Belgian Ales
Fuggle: Alpha 4-5.5% Beta 2-4%
English sroma hop with moderate bittering. Spicy, woody aroma
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: moderately resistant.
Variety substitutes: Willamette, Tettnanger, Newport
Beer styles typically used in: English and American style ales
Galena: Alpha 10-14% Beta 7-9%
Bittering hop, All purpose well balnced bittering.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Powdery Mildew: susceptable
Variety substitutes: Brewer's Gold, Nugget, Chinook, Newport
Beer styles typically used in: American Ales, Stouts, Lagers
Hallertauer: Alpha 3-5% Beta 3.5-5.5%
Noble aroma hop. Mild spicy flavor and aroma
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: tolerant.
Powdery Mildew: moderately resistant.
Variety substitutes: Mt. Hood, Tettnanger, Liberty
Beer styles typically used in: Pilsner, Bouk, Lager , Wheat
Kent Golding: Alpha 4-6% Beta 2-3%
Aroma hop with delicate, mild fragrance. Used in finishing
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Powdery Mildew: moderately resistant
Variety substitutes: Fuggle, Willamette
Beer styles typically used in: All English style Ales, ESB, Bitters, Begian Ales
Liberty: Alpha 4-6% Beta 3.5%
Finishing hop, similar to Haller in flower and spice.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: unknown.
Variety substitutes: Mt. Hood, Hallertauer, Tettnanger, Crystal
Beer styles typically used in: Lager, Pilsner, Bock, US Wheat, Kolsch beers
Magnum: Alpha 12-17% Beta 4.5-6%
Bittering hop. Some spicy and citrus aroma.
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: tolerant.
Powdery Mildew: susceptable.
Variety substitutes: Newport, Galena
Beer styles typically used in: Ales, Lagers, IPA's
Mt. Hood: Alpha 4-5% Beta 5-8%
Aroma and flavor hop. Mildly spicy and floral.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: unknown.
Variety substitutes: Hallertauer, Liberty, Crystal
Beer styles typically used in: Lager, Pilsner, Bock, Wheat
Newport: Alpha 13-17% Beta 7-9%
Bittering hop. Fairly pungent resiny flavor.
Resistant to most diseases.
Variety substitutes: Nugget, Fuggle, Newport, Magnum
Beer styles typically used in: American Ales, Indian Plae Ales
Northern Brewer: Alpha 7-9% Beta 2-5%
Bittering and flavor hop. Pine and minty flavor.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Variety substitutes: Chinook, Nugget, Columbus
Beer styles typically used in: English style Ales, ESB, Bitter, Porter, German Lagers
Nugget: Alpha 11-14% Beta 3-6%
Bittering hop. Spicy, herbal aroma.
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Variety substitutes: Galena, Brewer's Gold
Beer styles typically used in: All Ales, Stouts
Perle: Alpha 7-9% Beta 4-5%
Bittering hop. Pleasant and slightlty spicy.
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Powdery Mildew: moderately susceptable.
Variety substitutes: Northern Brewer, Galena
Beer styles typically used in: Pale Ales, Lagers, Stouts
Pride of Ringwood: Alpha 9-11% Beta 5-8%
Bittering hop. Strong pleasant resinous, earthy, citrus-like aroma.
Downy Mildew: susceptable.
Verticilium Wilt: moderately resistant.
Variety substitutes: Centennial, Galena
Beer styles typically used in: British Ales, Austalian-like Ales and Lagers
Saaz: Alpha 3-5.5% Beta 3-6%
Nobile hop aroma. Spicy, earthy blend.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant.
Variety substitutes: Sterling
Beer styles typically used in: Pilsners, Lager, Wheat, Belgian-style Ales
Sterling: Alpha 6-9% Beta 4-6%
Saaz hybrid. Spicy and herbal with mild floral and citus aroma.
Downy Mildew: moderately resistant
Powdery Mildew: moderately resistant.
Variety substitutes: Saaz, Mt. Hood
Beer styles typically used in: Pilsners, Lagers, Belgian-style Ales
Tettnanger: Alpha 4-5% Beta 3-4%
Noble aroma hop used in finishing. Very aromatic, spicy and floral.
Downy Mildew: tolerant.
Verticilium Wilt: tolerant.
Variety substitutes: Fuggle, Hallertauer, Liberty
Beer styles typically used in: German Ales, Wheats, Lagers
Sunbeam Golden Hop: Alpha 4-5% Beta 2-5%
An offspring of Saaz with a Saaz aroma profile.
Downy Mildew: resistant
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Variety substitutes: Bianca
Beer styles typically used in: Pilsners, Lager, Wheat, Belgian-style Ales
Willamette: Alpha 4-6% Beta 3.5-4.5%
Aroma hop used in Finish. A blend of floral, fruit, spice and earthy aromas.
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant to moderately susceptable..
Variety substitutes: Fuggle, Tettnanger
Beer styles typically used in: American Pale and Brown Ales, English-style Ales
Zeus/Columbus/Tomahawk: Alpha 13-16% Beta 3-5.5%
Bittering hop with good flavor. Spicy and earthy with a little citrus.
Downy Mildew: resistant.
Verticilium Wilt: resistant.
Variety substitutes: Centennial, Chinook, Galena, Nugget
Beer styles typically used in: American IPA's, Stout, Lager, Pale Ales