‘Tis the season for clear beers! Trends for low-alcohol, NA and other sessionable beers continue to outpace heavier, hopped up styles — a welcoming trend for lagers, pilsners and hop waters. In these lighter styles, hop selection plays a different role: balance, delicate aromatics and smooth bitterness become more important than sheer intensity. Brewers often look for hop character that shines without overwhelming the glass.
With summer beers now on the production schedule, we’re here to explore a roundup of U.S. grown hops that are in stock and ready for your next lager. Whatever flavor and aroma expression you’re chasing, these hops are fitting for bright, American styles and old-world interpretations alike.
Sterling is a versatile aroma hop with a long noble lineage; its complex pedigree includes varieties like Saaz and Cascade, while prominent spice notes blended with soft citrus. Sterling is primarily used as an aroma hop and is very lager- and pilsner-friendly.
A strain of Czech Saaz grown right here at home, specifically at Virgil Gamache Farms. U.S. Saaz carries similar floral and spicy elements as its Czech counterpart, but this American-grown lot presents with brighter citrus and a hint of cherry.
These three triploid varieties were developed by the USDA-ARS breeding program with Hallertau lineage. Historically, Hallertau Mittelfrüh was difficult to grow due to low yields and high susceptibility to disease — the variety nearly disappeared from German growing regions in the 20th century despite high demand from brewers. While hop breeders were developing Hallertau’s now virus-free rootstock in Germany, the USDA breeding program was tasked to develop use of the high-demand variety to breed disease-resistant American varieties with similar flavor profiles.¹
Mt. Hood delivers a delicate flavor profile with spicy, lemongrass, and herbal notes, where Crystal delivers light floral, cedar and soothing spice. Of the Hallertau-derived triploid varieties, Liberty most closely resembles Hallertau Mittelfrüh, offering delicate floral notes, soft lemon character, and gentle woody spice.
A triploid daughter of English Fuggle, Willamette carries mild aromas of cedar, pepper and incense. Named for the Willamette River that flows through Oregon's hop growing region, this hop is well-suited for adding aromatic depth to darker styles, though lends subtle structure to lighter lagers.
East Kent Golding meets Virgil Gamache Farms — Sonnet is a homage to England’s Shakespeare and exclusively grown in Oregon. Sonnet’s flavor rhymes with EKG’s classic herbal and floral notes, but Sonnet delivers brighter notes of lemon and fresh honeysuckle.
U.S. Golding is a descendant of East Kent Golding, with the same noble character and a bright, citrus edge that has become characteristic in many American hops. Notes of lemon, sweet pea, honey and cardamom shine in any English style.
An experimental variety bred specifically for modern lagers, HBC 1134 unveils an American twist on the classic noble character. HBC 1134 is built to freshen up traditional styles, with flavors of rose, pine, lemon and a hint of grapefruit. Alongside excellent agronomics and storage stability, HBC 1134 is a promising new variety for a changing market.
Balanced and approachable, delivering moderate alpha alongside floral and herbal flavor, rounded out by earthy, citrus notes. Loral blends its American and French lineage, making it well-positioned for a lager style brew.
¹ for hop history enthusiasts: a USDA-ARS archival document detailing the Hallertau-derived breeding program
