Since the 1990s Yakima Chief Ranches has been on the cutting-edge of hop science. Now through our partnership in Hop Breeding Company we continue the mission of developing pest and disease-resistant hops with strong commercial qualities.
Breeding hops is a long process, taking 11 plus years to breed a commercial hop from initial cross to commercialization. Once a selection survives the rigorous scrutiny of the breeding program’s early stages, we concentrate on not only whether or not a selection’s unique qualities will consistently translate well into beer, but also if it is agronomically beneficial to growers. With these key drivers in mind, HBC annually reviews the data collected during the previous year’s hop production and makes the decision to advance or remove selections from the breeding program.
Jason Perrault, the YCR team, and brewers throughout the world have been working together to develop new hop varietals that have and will continue to revolutionize hops and beer. This year’s Pipeline Report includes data on the newest hop varietals. We are seeking input from our brewing partners on how these varieties might influence the future of beer.
Posted January 10, 2020