21st Century British Hops
If you’ve used British hops before, particularly to make a traditional British beer style, the chances are that you’ll have used one or more of the following three hops: Golding, Fuggle, or Challenger. It’s not hard to see why; most recipes for British beers list these as the hops you should use and they will give you that authentic earthy, herbal, floral flavor that is the hallmark of many British ales. The slightly more adventurous amongst you may also have encountered Target; another fine U.K. hop variety with a robust sage and spice aroma that, again, lends itself well to traditional British ale styles; or perhaps First Gold, a Golding relative that gives fantastic marmalade and orange flavors, or Northern Brewer.
What all six of these varieties have in common is that they were all released in the last century or before (in the case of Golding, long before). So, you could be easily forgiven for thinking that there has been little development in British hop growing in recent years and that they were only good for making traditional British styles, but nothing could be further from the truth. There are now around 30 varieties of hops grown commercially in the U.K., not including imported varieties and experimental ones, and almost half of these have been released in the last two decades. The flavors and aromas now offered by modern British hops are as diverse, interesting, and exciting as any you’d expect to find amongst U.S. and other New World varieties. What follows is by no means an exhaustive account of what British hops have to offer, but rather a selection of some of my personal favorites released in the past decade that I believe might also be of interest to fellow homebrewers.
Jester®
Alpha acid: 7–9%
Flavor intensity: 9/10
Charles Faram have been selling hops to British brewers for more than 150 years and now have branches across the world, but in recent years their Hop Development Program has also generated some of the most interesting new varieties to come out of the UK. Jester® was amongst their first generation of hops to be released into the market in 2013 and its name is a reflection of how unusual it was at the time — those involved in early trials thought they had been given an American variety as a joke. Jester® offers up grapefruit, passion fruit, lychee, and pineapple aromas, as well as complex bitterness. While brewing at Mad Cat Brewery in Faversham, England I created a single-hop pale ale to showcase this fantastic variety and it did not disappoint, going on to become a long-standing feature of the brewery’s bottled range.
Jester® is a great hop in its own right, but its importance to the development of British hops over the past decade cannot be overstated. It has already spawned two new generations of fantastic hops, with its genes featuring in daughter varieties GodivaTM and MysticTM and granddaughter Harlequin® (more on these hops later).
To get the best from Jester®, especially in a single-hop beer, I would recommend layering it throughout the boil. Start with a bittering addition early on, then include several more additions beginning in the last 20 minutes through to the whirlpool.
Harlequin®
Alpha acid: 9.5–12%
Flavor intensity: 9/10
Harlequin® has rocketed on to the British hop scene. First developed by Charles Faram in 2015 and quickly fast-tracked to commercial production, the 2019 and 2020 crops were snapped up so fast that most commercial breweries in the U.K. struggle to get hold of it. It has won multiple awards, including “Best New Variety” at the IBD National Hop Awards and overall gold for the 2019 crop. Harlequin® has all the tropical fruit intensity that you would expect from a New World variety, with passion fruit, peach, and pineapple coming through very strongly, making it ideal for those big, juicy IPAs. I can see Harlequin® giving internationally popular varieties a run for their money in years to come — this is definitely one to watch out for.
With its decent alpha acid content, Harlequin® can be used as a bittering hop, but this seems a bit of a waste of its talents, so I would recommend using it in the last 5 minutes of the boil or as a dry hop addition in pale ales and IPAs to best utilize those tropical fruit aromas.
Boadicea
Alpha acid: 7–10%
Flavor intensity: 6/10
Named after a Celtic queen who led an armed resistance against the Roman occupation of Britain, Boadicea is one tough cookie. Released in 2004 by the Horticulture Research International (HRI) at Wye College in southeast England and bred from the open pollination of dwarf varieties, it was the world’s first aphid-resistant commercial hop variety and can fend off a bunch of common hop diseases. This means it needs a lot less pesticides for a good crop and is billed as a very environmentally friendly variety.
In terms of aroma, it has a lot in common with European noble varieties, offering floral and spicy notes, as well as a light, refreshing quality that I find hard to put my finger on. This makes it a great, if unconventional, choice for lagers, but be sure to check your IBUs as the alpha acid content is much higher than Saaz or Hallertau. It’s also perfect in darker beers, such as brown ales, porters, and stouts, whether for bittering or aroma.
Ernest
Alpha acid: 5–6.5%
Flavor intensity: 8/10
Okay, full disclosure, Ernest is not actually a new hop variety. It was first bred in the 1920s by Prof. Ernest Salmon at the East Malling Research Station in Kent and selected for farm trials in the 1950s after showing good resistance to wilt disease. However, by 1960 it had been shelved because in early brewing trials it displayed what the Institute of Brewing called a “strong, coarse, American aroma.” What can I say? It was a different time. Thankfully, it was kept as part of a national hop variety collection and re-released when tastes caught up with this fantastic variety, which was clearly ahead of its time. Its aroma might better be described as being “New World” these days, with complex fruity notes of apricot, citrus, and spice that have made it a bit of a hit with some U.K. craft brewers, as well as a handful of those in the U.S.
I’ve found that Ernest works very well as a late addition to light session ales, especially when paired with Olicana® (below), but I’m sure it would work very well as a dry hop and in more full-bodied beers too.
Olicana®
Alpha acid: 6–9%
Flavor intensity: 8/10
Another child of the Faram Hop Development Program, Olicana® is the sister of Jester®. First planted in 2009, Olicana® was released commercially in 2014. Mango, grapefruit, and passion fruit dominate the aroma profile, with background hints of melon and green tea when used as a dry hop. Despite this fabulous aroma profile, it almost didn’t make the grade due to a susceptibility to powdery mildew, but closer study showed it had a better resistance to this disease than Challenger. With those lovely tropical fruit aromas bursting out of it, Olicana® just screams out to be used in pale ales and fruity IPAs as a whirlpool addition or dry hop.
GodivaTM
Alpha acid: 6–9%
Flavor intensity: 6/10
First released as experimental CF127 in 2015, GodivaTM was named and released with commercial volumes in 2017 by the Faram Hop Development Program. To my mind, GodivaTM is a bit of a hidden gem in the hop world. Even amongst British brewers it is not well known, which is a real shame. While its flavor intensity may not be as high as some other varieties, its unusual aroma profile more than makes up for this. Featuring notes of white grape, tangerine, spice, and gooseberry, GodivaTM is an excellent substitute for Hallertau Blanc or New Zealand varieties such as Wai-itiTM. It lends itself well to late boil and dry hop additions in light, refreshing beers, such as pale ales and saisons, but would probably make an interesting addition to Pilsner and helles lagers as well. In my experience, GodivaTM is best used as a whirlpool or dry hop addition to help preserve its delicate aromas, especially as dry hopping really brings out the tangerine notes.
Archer®
Alpha acid: 4-6%
Flavor intensity: 6/10
If you’re still after that traditional British hop character, but want something a little different, then Archer® is the hop for you. Bred from another relatively new British variety, Sovereign, it was released by Charles Faram in 2013. As well as assertive bitterness and a classic floral aroma, it also offers up notes of peach, lime, and apricot that give it an interesting, fruity twist. I have used Archer® in both golden and darker ales and it always performs really well whether used for bittering, flavor, or aroma. In fact, why not use it for all three in a tasty single-hop ale?
Flyer
Alpha acid: 8-14.5%
Flavor intensity: 6/10
Bred in 2002 from a cross between a high alpha acid female plant and a low-trellis male, Flyer was released by Wye Hops in 2009 and offers quite an unusual flavor profile, featuring licorice, toffee, and caramel, along with a resinous character and notes of citrus and stone fruits. This makes it a great pairing for porters, stouts, and brown ales where a rich character is required, and I suspect it would go well in Belgian dubbels and quads as well. Definitely one for all you malt-forward brewers out there. However, I’m also tempted to try it in a West Coast IPA given its resinous qualities and high alpha acid content.
What Makes British Hops Unique?
Hops have been grown in the U.K. for around 500 years and Britain was one of the first countries to create breeding programs dedicated to developing new hop varieties. The result of all this is a wealth of knowledge and expertise in hop development, not to mention a range of hop varieties that have totally unique properties in terms of their flavor, aroma, and bittering qualities, but also in terms of benefits to farmers. To find out a bit more about what makes British hops so distinctive, what benefits they can bring to the rest of the world, and what the future holds for hop development in the U.K., I spoke to Will Rogers, Group Technical Director of the Hop Development Program at Charles Faram.
Will pointed out that the U.K. still has a lot to offer the world when it comes to hop development. “In the U.K. we have unique challenges when it comes to growing hops, but unique challenges also bring unique properties,” he said.
One of the challenges Will is referring to is the maritime climate. British winters are often too mild to kill off all of the pests and diseases that plague hops, and summers are not hot enough to inhibit disease growth. This means that a huge amount of effort has been put into ensuring disease-resistance among new British hop varieties, with stringent screening before scaling up to commercial planting. This could have benefits for hop growers elsewhere in the world as hop diseases begin to take hold in areas they have never been seen before. Natural disease resistance can also help reduce the need for pesticides, thereby lowering the environmental impact and improving the sustainability of hop growing, while also ensuring there are fewer chemical residues in the final product.
Will also tells me that a lot of the distinctive properties of British hops come from the enormous genetic diversity that exists amongst them. “Here in the U.K. we have male plants everywhere and produce seeded hops, which has helped to maintain an enormous genetic diversity that is very unique.”
Unlike in some other hop growing regions where wild male hop plants are destroyed, in the U.K. they grow in abundance and natural selection helps to ensure strong genetic traits are passed on to the next generation. However, British hop developers also select specific male plants for pollination if they display particularly favorable growing habits or some other unique property. This emphasis on male genetics is unusual in hop development when compared to the rest of the world, but has paid dividends for the U.K. hop industry. Will points out that they are now starting to sell British hop pollen to other hop growing regions on the basis of its genetics.
But the unique character of British hops is not simply down to their genes; that mysterious property known as terroir has a major impact too. The soil in which they are grown, the water that irrigates them, the exact amount of sunlight they receive, even the practices of the farmers themselves can all have a bearing on the characteristics of a particular hop. Clearly the U.K. provides very different hop growing conditions than the Pacific Northwest, New Zealand, or southern Germany, and this comes through in the unique nature of British hops. For example, I asked Will if he thought Harlequin® had a chance of giving some of the New World varieties a run for their money. “I’d like to think so. People have drawn parallels with Mosaic®, but I’m not sure we’re there yet. We trialed Harlequin® with some brewers in Canada and they really liked it whilst pointing out that it still had a ‘British quality’ to it.”
I was curious about the threats to British hops, so asked Will about this too, and he points out that there are several, including disease, weather conditions, and commercial pressures. British hop farms have fallen from around 72,000 acres in the mid-1800s to less than 2,000 acres today and a number of U.K. hop varieties are under threat or have died out already. Minstrel® — a relatively new variety developed by Charles Faram with spiced berry and orange citrus aromas — was recently withdrawn from commercial production due to difficulties with farming it. Acreage of the variety Epic has been significantly rolled back, despite giving a good yield, as it has not proven popular with brewers. A high beta-acid variety that showed great promise called Beata has all but died out as recent winters have been too mild. Some sub-varieties of Golding, of which there are around a dozen, are under threat; and even Fuggle has suffered from poor crops in recent years due to verticillium wilt disease. Will tells me that work is currently underway at another hop development center to breed a more disease-resistant version of Fuggle.
Despite all this, Will remains pretty optimistic about the future of hop development in the U.K.
“I believe we are only scratching the surface of what is possible at the moment,” he said.
Britain has an opportunity to provide niche aromas not available anywhere else in the world, and Will believes this should be a significant part of future hop breeding efforts. For example, during the course of our chat he mentioned a brand new, experimental variety currently known only as CF269 that had brewers especially excited during the “Well Hopped World Series,” a competition organized by Charles Faram to showcase their new hop varieties from around the world. This as yet unnamed variety has around 10–20% more aroma than its grandmother, Harlequin®, and a higher alpha acid content. But what really got brewers excited was the aroma profile, with reports of strong citrus, grapefruit, orange, tropical, bubblegum, peach, resin, and pineapple notes. Some even went as far as to compare it to GalaxyTM. “This hop is far closer to the sort of proprietary varieties that are in vogue than anything we have produced before,” Will said.
Will also suggested that the U.K. could grow more modest acreages of these new niche varieties, thereby offering smaller quantities, but crucially, a far wider selection. As both a pro and homebrewer, I think this makes a lot of sense. Hop farms in the U.K. tend to be smaller, family-run businesses. This allows them a greater amount of flexibility in terms of what they grow, compared to much larger farms elsewhere in the world that are tied into proprietary contracts. This small volume, high variety approach could allow British hop farmers to provide brewers the world over with the novelty that so many crave. As Will aptly puts it “we’re not competing directly, we’re providing something different, something that will remind people of our little island.”
At the time of writing, quick online searches show that readers in North America can buy Jester®, Harlequin®, Olicana®, GodivaTM, and Archer® in homebrew quantities with some ease. The other varieties mentioned in this article are available through various retailers when stocks allow. If you have trouble finding a variety you want to try, why not ask your usual supplier if they will get some in for you?
Recipes
Rebel Queen
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.036 FG = 1.005
IBU = 18 SRM = 3 ABV = 4.1%
I like to think of this as a transatlantic lager, using a U.S.-inspired malt profile with a single British hop variety (Boadicea). I’ve often thought British hops would be well-suited to lager brewing and I think this proves it. Light and refreshing, this is perfect for summer barbecues.
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Pilsner malt
14 oz. (400 g) flaked corn
6 oz. (170 g) torrified wheat
2.25 AAU Boadicea hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 9% alpha acids)
5.9 AAU Boadicea hops (10 min.) (0.65 oz./18.5 g at 9% alpha acids)
0.5 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
SafLager W-34/70, White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash all the grain at 147 °F (64 °C) for 90 minutes. Collect around 6 gallons (23 L) of wort in the kettle and boil for one hour, adding the first dose of hops as soon as it begins to boil. After 45 minutes of boiling, add the Irish moss, then add the second dose of hops 5 minutes later.
At the end of the boil, immediately cool to 59 °F (15 °C), transfer to the fermenter, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 50–57 °F (10–14 °C) for around one week, then slowly raise the temperature to 64–68 °F (18–20 °C) as fermentation begins to slow. When fermentation ends, drop the temperature to 34–40 °F (1–4 °C) and hold it there for 4–6 weeks before packaging.
After waiting out the lagering period, keg and force carbonate to 2.5 v/v or prime with corn sugar and bottle condition.
Rebel Queen
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.036 FG = 1.005
IBU = 18 SRM = 3 ABV = 4.1%
Ingredients
2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (680 g) Pilsner malt
14 oz. (400 g) flaked corn
6 oz. (170 g) torrified wheat
2.25 AAU Boadicea hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 9% alpha acids)
5.9 AAU Boadicea hops (10 min.) (0.65 oz./18.5 g at 9% alpha acids)
0.5 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
SafLager W-34/70, White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by step
Place the crushed Pilsner malt, flaked corn, and torrified wheat in a muslin bag. Submerge in 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of 158 °F (70 °C) water to stabilize temperature at 147 °F (64 °C). Wrap in a towel or find other means to hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Remove the grains, place in a colander, and wash with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Top up kettle to 4 gallons (15 L) then add the dried malt extract, stirring until all the extract is dissolved. Bring the wort up to a boil then add the first hop addition. Boil 60 minutes. After 45 minutes of boiling, add the Irish moss, then add the second dose of hops 5 minutes later. Boil for a further 10 minutes, then immediately cool to 59 °F (15 °C), transfer to the fermenter, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 50–57 °F (10–14 °C) for around one week, then slowly raise the temperature to 64–68 °F (18–20 °C) as fermentation begins to slow. When fermentation ends, drop the temperature to 34–40 °F (1–4 °C) and hold it there for 4–6 weeks before packaging. Keg and force carbonate to 2.5 v/v or prime and bottle condition.
I Don’t Want to Change the World
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.057 FG = 1.011
IBU = 16 SRM = 5 ABV = 6%
I came up with this recipe with my brewing buddy Keith Bartlett to answer a long-standing question we’d both been wondering: How close to a New England IPA could you get using only British hops? It turns out, pretty close. This beer has all the juicy, tropical fruit flavors you’d expect, complemented by a subtle spicy note just to remind you where the hops are from.
Ingredients
9.8 lbs. (4.5 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
1 lb. (450 g) rolled oats
1 lb. (450 g) pale wheat malt
4.5 AAU Boadicea hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 8.9% alpha acids)
1.1 oz. (31 g) Jester® hops (hopstand)
1.1 oz. (31 g) Olicana® hops (hopstand)
1.1 oz. (31 g) Harlequin® hops (hopstand)
0.9 oz. (26 g) Jester® hops (dry hop, day 3)
0.9 oz. (26 g) Olicana® hops (dry hop, day 3)
0.9 oz. (26 g) Harlequin® hops (dry hop, day 3)
1.2 oz. (35 g) Jester® hops (dry hop, day 7)
1.2 oz. (35 g) Olicana® hops (dry hop, day 7)
1.2 oz. (35 g) Harlequin® hops (dry hop, day 7)
LalBrew Verdant IPA, Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III), or Imperial Yeast A38 (Juice) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash all the grains at 152 °F (67 °C) for one hour. Collect around 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort in the kettle and boil for one hour, adding the Boadicea hops as soon as it begins to boil. At the end of the boil, cool the wort to 158–176 °F (70–80 °C) and add the hopstand hops. Hold the wort within this temperature range for 20 minutes, then cool to 68 °F (20 °C) and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). After three days add the first dry hops. Add the second round of dry hops after 7 days and then begin cooling to 39 °F (4 °C). Hold at this temperature for two days before packaging, ideally by closed transfer to a keg to avoid oxidation. Force carbonate to 2.5 volumes or prime and bottle condition.
I Don’t Want to Change the World
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.057 FG = 1.011
IBU = 16 SRM = 5 ABV = 6%
Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) of Maris Otter liquid malt extract
1 lb. (450 g) rolled oats
1 lb. (450 g) pale wheat malt
4.5 AAU Boadicea hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 8.9% alpha acids)
1.1 oz. (31 g) Jester® hops (hopstand)
1.1 oz. (31 g) Olicana® hops (hopstand)
1.1 oz. (31 g) Harlequin® hops (hopstand)
0.9 oz. (26 g) Jester® hops (dry hop, day 3)
0.9 oz. (26 g) Olicana® hops (dry hop, day 3)
0.9 oz. (26 g) Harlequin® hops (dry hop, day 3)
1.2 oz. (35 g) Jester® hops (dry hop, day 7)
1.2 oz. (35 g) Olicana® hops (dry hop, day 7)
1.2 oz. (35 g) Harlequin® hops (dry hop, day 7)
LalBrew Verdant IPA, Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III), or Imperial Yeast A38 (Juice) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the crushed wheat malt and rolled oats in a muslin bag. Submerge in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of 162 °F (72 °C) water to stabilize temperature at 152 °F (67 °C). Wrap in a towel or find other means to hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Remove the grains, place in a colander, and wash with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Top up kettle to 4 gallons (15 L) then add the malt extract, stirring until dissolved. Bring the wort up to a boil and add the first hop addition.
Boil 60 minutes, then cool the wort to 158–176 °F (70–80 °C) by adding cold water. Add the hopstand hops. Hold the wort within this temperature range for 20 minutes, then cool to 68 °F (20 °C), top up fermenter to 5.5 gallons (21 L), and pitch the yeast. Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
Skilled Archer
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.042 FG = 1.006
IBU = 23 SRM = 5 ABV = 4.7%
Of everything that I’ve brewed at home over the last 12 months, this single-hopped beer seems to have achieved the greatest universal approval amongst my friends and family, despite their very different beer tastes. It’s probably best described as a British-style golden ale, but a slightly odd one given that it’s fermented with a kveik yeast. Nicely balanced, with a rich and bready malt profile and clean yeast character that allows the stone fruit aromas of the Archer® hops to shine through. I’ll be sure to make this one again.
Ingredients
8.1 lbs. (3.7 kg) 2-row pale malt
8 oz. (230 g) amber malt
4.25 AAU Archer® hops (60 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 3.4% alpha acids)
1.6 oz. (45 g) Archer® hops (5 min.)
1.6 oz. (45 g) Archer® hops (0 min.)
0.5 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
Bootleg Biology Oslo, Omega OYL071 (Lutra), or LalBrew Voss yeast
1⁄2 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash all the grain at 151 °F (66 °C) for one hour. Collect around 6 gallons (23 L) of wort in the kettle and boil for one hour, adding the first dose of hops as soon as it begins to boil. After 45 minutes of boiling add the Irish moss, then add the second dose of hops 10 minutes later. Boil for a further 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, add the final dose of hops, and leave them to steep for 20 minutes. Cool the wort to 95 °F (35 °C), transfer to your fermenter and then leave at 90 °F (32 °C) until fermentation is complete (a few days). Cold crash to around 39 °F (4 °C) for two days before packaging. Keg and force carbonate to 1.8 v/v or prime and bottle condition.
Skilled Archer
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.042 FG = 1.006
IBU = 23 SRM = 5 ABV = 4.7%
Ingredients
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) extra light dried malt extract
0.75 lb. (340 g) 2-row pale malt
8 oz. (230 g) amber malt
4.25 AAU Archer® hops (60 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 3.4% alpha acids)
1.6 oz. (45 g) Archer® hops (5 min.)
1.6 oz. (45 g) Archer® hops (0 min.)
0.5 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
Bootleg Biology Oslo, Omega OYL071 (Lutra), or LalBrew Voss yeast
1⁄2 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the crushed pale and amber malts in a muslin bag. Submerge in 2.5 qts. (1.4 L) of 162 °F (72 °C) water to stabilize temperature at 151 °F (67 °C). Wrap in a towel or find other means to hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Remove the grains, place in a colander, and wash with 3 qts.
(3 L) of hot water. Top up kettle to 4 gallons (15 L) then add the malt extract, stirring until all the extract is dissolved.
Bring the wort up to a boil then add the first hop addition. Boil 60 minutes. After 45 minutes of boiling add the Irish moss, then add the second dose of hops 10 minutes later. Boil for a further 5 minutes, then switch off the heat, add the final dose of hops, and leave them to steep for 20 minutes. Cool the wort to 95 °F (35 °C), transfer to your fermenter and then leave at 90 °F (32 °C) until fermentation is complete (a few days). Cold crash to around 39 °F (4 °C) for two days before packaging. Keg and force carbonate to 1.8 v/v or prime and bottle condition.
