Craft brewers are always looking for new beer trails to blaze. Experimenting with a new, or new-to-you, hop variety could diversify your offering in a crowded market. Check out what our panel of hop experts recommend:

Melody Meyer, marketing manager with Hopunion LLC: “With more than 100 commercial varieties to choose from, the options for hop combinations and additions are virtually endless. We continue to encourage brewers to try something new or maybe even something old. Some of our most overlooked, yet increasingly popular varieties are the retro hops — Bullion, Comet, Eroica, Olympic, etc. In the 1980s, production of these hops ceased due to super alpha hops with better storage stability hitting the scene. Now that aroma is back in demand, these hops are being revisited. They contain high levels of alpha acids (often 7 to ­13 percent), but also display unique aroma characteristics including zesty blackcurrant, fruit and ‘wild American’ flavors. What once was out of style, may just be the next big thing.”

Sean McGree, hop specialist with BSG CraftBrewing: “There is a new species of hop, Neo­Mexicanus, that is overlooked because it is relatively new to the market. This species is the only commercial hop grown in the United States that is indigenous to North America. There are several new plants that are being agronomically tested and released into the market right now. Multi Head is a tropical, citrus flavored hop that represents the first variety to be released and tested in commercial beers.”

Beau Evers, inside sales manager for Crosby Hop Farm LLC: “We used to grow a fair amount of Bullion and Brewer’s Gold in past generations, and we believe there could be resurgence in interest and comeback in acreage for these overlooked, old-school hops. These hops are special because they were the heirloom hop varieties from which many public and private varieties have derived. In the case of these hops, ‘respect your elders!’”

Innovative IPAs

India pale ale (IPA) is a huge category for craft beer. Most brewers have their own take on the style, making it difficult for craft breweries to create a unique brew to put on the shelf. If you’re looking to set yourself apart, here are some hops for thought:

Evers: “CTZs and Nugget tend to be great bittering hops that are grown in abundance and are readily accessible. Centennial and Cascade seem the obvious choices for aroma/finishing hops in traditional IPAs; yet, the trends are leaning more toward domestic proprietaries and southern hemisphere hops for late additions. In addition, there have been new releases of public, USDA-bred varieties like Cashmere, Tahoma and ‘Triple Pearl’ (a triploid-Perle derivation) that impart unique and original hop notes that might be conducive to more hop-centric styles of beer.”

Meyer: “At Hopunion LLC, we believe in the creative spirit of craft and encourage brewers to experiment with hop varieties. What we think will be a great combination in IPAs and Pale Ales often turns out to be a wonderful addition in many other beer styles as well. Case in point, Falconer’s Flight®. This proprietary pellet blend was created with hop forward beers in mind, however, we have tasted some of the most amazing beers, in different styles, including porters, ambers, lagers and many, many more.”