BREWER'S CHOICE HOMEBREWING SUPPLIES
| HOME | BREWING TIPS | USING A HYDROMETER | GROWING HOPS | BEER APPRECIATION |
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| Introduction |
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| History |
| Hop Species |
| Noble Hops |
| What's Important? |
| I.B.U's. |
| Using Hops |
| Just How Much? |
| Oils Ain't Oils |
| Hop Storage |
| Hop Varieties |
| More on Hops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hooray for HopsCompiled by Charles Johnston1. IntroductionThis paper provides information on the use of hops in beer, hop storage considerations and a listing of a variety of hop cultivars and their attributes of interest to the home brewer. Although the information provided is not exhaustive it should go a long way to assist any actions in the choice and usage of hops in the formulation or enhancement of recipes. Inclusion of hop blossoms in beer contributes to the major determinants of beer’s character and style and to a large extent, beer’s distinguishing feature as a drink. Accordingly, there is a great deal of interest amongst brewers and home brewers alike in the attributes that hops bring to the flavouring of beer. At its most simple, hops are used to add balance to the malt sweetness of beer through bitterness, flavour and aroma. The particular strain of hops, the freshness of the hops, the amount used and the process employed all introduce subtle and sometimes not so subtle differences in capturing hop attributes. The effective management of these variables to bring a mediocre brew to great heights is the dilemma that faces the home brewer who for the most has limited technical resources and unless has signed a pact with the devil must rely on some basic information and common sense.
2. A little history never hurt anyone.It is interesting to note that the first documented instance of hop cultivation was in 736 AD in the Hallertau region of present day Germany. However, mention of the use of hops in brewing was not until 1069. Word spread like lightning in those days, and some 500 years later hops were introduced into British beers in the early 1500’s. Prior to that, brewers had balanced the sweet taste of malted barley with herbs including yarrow, coriander and ginger. Hop cultivation began in the present day United States in 1629. Today, the principle centres of hop production are:
Hop cultivation also takes place in Tasmania and to a limited extent around the King Valley in Victoria
3. Strains of HopsThe hop (Humulus) is a small Genus of flowering plants native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The hop belongs to the same Plant Family as cannabis. It is a hardy perennial plant which produces annual vines from a permanent root stock. Vines may grow up to 7-8 meters if the supporting trellis work is in place. Hops are dioecious, which means that they have separate male and female plants. The female flowers commonly called hops are used as flavouring and stabilisers during beer brewing. Male plants have no commercial value but are used to pollinate female plants where a new variety is desired. There are three species of hop, one with five varieties:
Note that brewers hops are specific cultivars, propagated by asexual reproduction derived from the Common Hop plant.
4. What are noble hops?The term "noble" applies only to four central European cultivars: the German varieties of Hallertauer-Mittelfrueh, Tettnanger, Spalter, and Czech Saaz. All these hops have certain features in common such as low alpha acids, poor storage life, very fine aromas and flavours. The term noble is being spread by the industry to cover newer varieties as well but this has often failed to catch on.
5. What’s important?Hops have three main ingredients of relevance to brewers: alpha acids, beta acids, and essential oils. Of interest to brewers are the alpha acids co humulene and adhumulone which are responsible for the bittering of beer. Beta acids present in hops, lupulone, colupulone and adlupulone are of little interest for the reason described below. Of the various essential oils contained within hops, humulene has major importance to the brewer as it is predominately this oil that provides for flavour and aroma characteristics. Humulene imparts an elegant, refined taste and aroma to beers containing it. For this reason, hops rich in Humulene, such as the “Noble varieties” are used in pale lagers The more astute reader will have already noticed the tie in between the botanic name of the Common Hop (Humulus Lupulus) and the nomenclature of alpha and beta acids. The levels of these alpha and beta acids and essential oils will vary according to hop cultivar variety and to a lesser extent upon the seasonal growing conditions. Accordingly, differing hop varieties are preferred for different applications in the brewing process. The a-acids are bitter but dissolve poorly in wort, so they need to be changed into a form that dissolves well. In brewing, this change occurs through boiling; the process is known as isomerisation. The resulting isomerised a-acids known as iso-humulones, are more soluble in wort and retain their bitterness. For all intents and purposes, b-acids are not bitter and are not changed into a bitter form during the brewing process. However, they do form bitter compounds when oxidized during storage. An interesting characteristic of iso-humulones is that when exposed to ultra violet light, the iso-humulone molecule is formed into two new compounds. One of these compounds combines with available sulphur atoms to create the “essence of skunk” aroma associated with beer that has suffered “Light Strike” Of course, the prevention of this condition is easily avoided by ensuring that beer subsequent to bottling is not stored exposed to light. The essential oils are responsible for the aroma of hops and enter into the beer's flavor profile when added for short boil times, when steeped, or when added fresh in a hop back or as dry hops in the fermenter. Obviously, long boil times will drive off the essential oils because of their volatility. All three of these components, a- and b- acids and essential oils, undergo changes as hops age.
6. International Bittering UnitsNo discussion on hops would be complete without mention of the International Bitterness Scale or simply the IBU scale. This scale provides a measurement of the bitterness of beer which is determined by the hops used during brewing. An IBU is one part per million of isohumulone. The higher the number on the IBU scale, the greater the bitterness. The bittering effect is less noticeable in beers with a high quantity of malt, so a higher IBU is needed in heavier beers to balance the flavour. For example an Imperial Stout may have an IBU of 50, but will taste less bitter than an English Bitter with an IBU of 30, because the first beer uses much more malt than the second. The technical limit of IBUs is around 80, others have tried to surpass this number but there is nor real gauge after 80 IBUs when it comes to taste threshold. Typical measures of IBUs for beers include:
Some others of interest:
7. Process of introductionBy far, the most common way of introducing hops to the wort is to add them to the brew kettle and boil them in sweet wort. Of course if you are using a kit only then this has already been done for you. Home Brewers will use hops in full mash or mini mash operations or even adding some additional hops to spice up the brew. In long boils of 30 -120 minutes, hops achieve four primary functions: they add bitterness through isomerisation (re-arrangement without change of composition) of a-acids into more stable and soluble iso-a-acids; they assist in the production of a good “hot break” by supplying tannins that combine with unwanted proteins; they add to beer stability by virtue of their anti-bacterial properties; and they lower the surface tension of the wort so that a vigorous boil can be easily maintained.
8. Just How Much?As you would be aware there are many different styles of beer. Reproducing a particular flavour profile will take into account the amount of malt which will determine the final gravity and the degree of sweetness and the amount of hops for the balancing bitterness. There is a formula which allows determination of the amount of hops to include in brews which are fully mashed. Understanding the formula will also be of benefit to those brewers who wish to include additional hops in their favourite kit brew. Formula to calculate the quantity of hops required in a determined recipe: Weight in Grams = 10 x Reqd. Bitterness Units x Batch size Utilisation Factor x Alpha Acid of Hops Where The required Bitterness Units is the figure that you have chosen Batch size is in litres and is the volume of liquid left at the end of the boil. Utilisation factor is the amount of alpha acid that is extracted from the hops in accordance with the length of boil. The longer the length of boil, the greater the utilisation of the alpha acids from the hops. The following table provides for the utilisation factor using both Hop Pellets and Hop Cones.
Finally the alpha content of the Hops being used If required, hop weight calculators can be downloaded from the internet
9. Oils aint OilsLate additions of hops (0-30 mins) before end of boil are responsible for most of the “hop character” of a beer or the hop flavour and aroma that can result from the contribution of hop essential oils. Even more hop oil can be introduced into the wort by running hot wort through a bed of hops before cooling. Dry hopping- adding hops to the fermenter-also adds more hop character, although the compounds extracted by cool wort are different from those found in wort immediately after the boil. As distinct from the bitterness (introduced by a-acids through isomerisation) the hop character of beer is affected both by the type of hop product (hop cones pressed into pellets, hop cones ground up and pressed into pellets and fresh hop cones- the more processing involved the less hop oils) you add to the wort and the method and timing of the addition. Most plant materials contain two groups of oils, differentiated by their volatility. The fixed oils like liquid fats found in nuts are relatively non-volatile and contribute little to aroma. The volatile oils, also called essential oils, are easily vaporised and their presence or absence is detected by smell. We are all familiar with perfumes and spices, both of which are loaded with either synthesised or naturally occurring essential oils. In hops, the essential oil makes up only about 0.5 -3% (v/w) of the whole cone, but its contribution to beer is enormous. When essential oil is included in finished beer at the rate of around 10 parts /million, one of the first things to hit you is the delicious hop aroma wafting up from those essential oils. Hop oils are made up primarily of a hydrocarbon fraction and an oxygenated fraction. The hydrocarbon fraction typically comprises 80-90% of the total oil content. The most prevalent constituents of the hydrocarbon fraction can be easily oxidised in air, thus contributing to the oxygenated fraction as well. Obviously, from the brewers point of view, the extraction and retention of essential oils as part of the flavour profile becomes an issue. Similarly, essential oils are easily lost from the hop as oxidisation of the oils takes place both over time and according to temperature. For this reason storage considerations play an important part in preserving essential oils and hence maintaining the hops qualities. Hop essential oils, like bitter resins, are easily lost during storage due to their susceptibility to oxidation. Storage trails at the USDA Hop Research Laboratory determined that oil losses ranged from 28% to 90% after 6 months at room temperature, depending on the variety. These losses can be slowed by storing hops in the freezer, preferably in a package that allows no air or water exchange. Advice is to buy the best hops that you can find and then take good care of them, especially if they are aroma hops. Once you have achieved your favourite brew and safely have it bottled or sealed in a keg, you might think that you are safe –not so. Even then hop character begins its inevitable downhill slide. The two main ways in which hop oil components in finished beer can be lost are migration into the packaging material and chemical degradation. Researchers report: “the major mechanism for the loss of hop aroma compounds from beer appears to be chemical degradation. The most likely pathways………..are reaction with oxygen in the headspace of the bottle and acid hydrolysis” Because we can do nothing about acid hydrolysis, a diagnosis points to a rigorous elimination of oxygen from beer packaging, particularly the headspace in bottles. The four points Four important points simplify dealing with hop essential oils:
10. Hop StorageMost brewers are familiar with the fragile nature of hops - they lose their bittering qualities over time, and their essential oils degrade. Accurate information about how and why hops lose their a-acids, and sound preventive measures like good packaging and storage, can enable brewers to keep their hops fresh and their brews in line with expectations. Hop Harvesting and Processing Hops are harvested once a year, beginning in March and continuing through early April, depending on the hop variety. The hops are dried, and in the United States baled in 200-lb bales. The bales are made by compressing the hops and then wrapping them in burlap. Some hops are ground and extruded into pellets. Some hops in the UK are compressed into "plugs" that weigh about 1/2 oz. The level of compression in these plugs is much higher than in the bale. (In the UK, these plugs are known as pellets, technically Type 100 pellets.) In Germany, some hops are compressed into 5-kg (11-lb) "bricks" and then vacuum sealed. The level of compression of both of these is about 3-4 times that of U.S. bales. The hops are then stored in huge warehouses at about -3 degrees C (~26 degrees F) (temperatures differ depending on the broker and outside temperature) and remain there until they are shipped to a brewer or hop supplier. Most small brewers buy enough hops at the start of the hop season to last all year, but they are stored at the hop broker and shipped to the brewery periodically, providing the brewer the convenience of not needing a huge cold storage facility. Also, because most small brewers lack hops analysis equipment, the hop broker can keep tabs on the a-acid and oil contents as they change over time. Hop Deterioration Hops start to lose their a-acids and oils as soon as they are harvested. The rate of loss depends on the storage temperature, the amount of air present, and the hop variety. The lower the temperature, the less the hops deteriorate. It has been shown that the rate of loss halves for every 15 degrees C (27 degrees F) drop in temperature Oxygen is definitely bad for a-acids; their oxidation components are responsible for the "cheesy" aroma detected in old hops. Oxidized a-acids lose their bitterness and cannot be isomerised. Because b-acids form bitter compounds when they are oxidised, some believe that this result of oxidation makes up for the loss of a-acids. In fact, it has been argued that cold storage and anaerobic conditions are not necessary for bittering hops, as long as the boil is long enough and open enough to allow the cheesy aroma to escape. But brewers aren't buying the argument (who can blame them). The variety of the hop also plays a major role in storage. Hops are usually classified as bittering hops and aroma hops. Bittering hops have a higher a-acid content than aroma hops, and their storage properties are more important. Under identical storage conditions, certain varieties will lose more a-acids than others. Each hop variety contains differing amounts of natural antioxidants, and some varieties' lupulin glands are more permeable to air than others. The oils also deteriorate and oxidize over time. Some people believe that some oxidation of the oils is beneficial to hop aroma. Not enough research has been done in the area of characterising the oil content loss rates for various varieties, so we are unable to accurately predict oil losses on a variety-by-variety basis at this time. Exposure to light hastens hop deterioration as well. At home, this is not much of an issue because most freezers are dark inside. But in your local homebrew supply store, a display freezer may have fluorescent lights in it. Although this certainly makes the hop display more attractive, the hops would be better served if the light were removed. Hop Storage For optimum preservation of hops' valued qualities, they should be stored as cold as possible (-1 to -21 degrees C) and away from air. The compression of hops into bales, pellets, and plugs helps protect all but the surface layers from air. Even so, air penetrates and causes some oxidation. Cold temperatures slow the oxidation process. Because some hop varieties don't store as well as others, at some point in the season hop brokers take all remaining unsold bales of poor-storing hops and turn them into pellets. Not only do pellets keep out a lot of oxygen, their compact form allows them to be easily vacuum packed to further slow the deterioration. The reason pellets are so prevalent in the home brewing trade is that they deteriorate more slowly than whole hops when stored in less than ideal conditions. Microbrewers like them for two additional reasons: they are easy to remove from the wort if the brewery uses a whirlpool separator, and they take up much less storage space, making it much more practical to keep them cold. Although compression of whole hops slows the oxidation because it is harder for the oxygen to get at the hops, when the bale is broken up to be portioned into homebrew-sized quantities the compression is lost and air can get at the hops much more easily. Because of the compression, plugs are a good compromise between pellets and whole hops. Hop Packaging for Sale to Home brewers Vacuum packing and inert-gas packaging in an oxygen-barrier material are the best packaging methods. The common type of oxygen-barrier packaging is the "boiling bag" which is clear and made from a lamination of two types of plastic. The inner layer is a food-grade polyethylene (the same material that common plastic sandwich bags are made from). Although it does provide a barrier to water, polyethylene is not a proper oxygen barrier; it does make a good heat seal, which is the main reason it is used. The outer layer is made from polyester (also known as Mylar or nylon) and is what provides the barrier layer. The next step up in effectiveness is the aluminized Mylar bag (also known as the foil bag or pouch), which adds a layer of aluminium that increases the barrier protection more than 10-fold. It also more than doubles the cost, so it is not widely used despite its advantages. Some suppliers sell hops in simple polyethylene bags, which provide almost no barrier protection. Hops that have been insufficiently protected offer dubious a-acid values and should be approached with scepticism or not used at all. To tell the bags apart, think about what a typical sandwich bag feels like; it is made of polyethylene. You can smell the hops right through it (this should tell you something). It also has a slightly frosted appearance and lacks the polished look of polyester. Clear barrier bags are noticeably stiffer and thicker. They are also shiny and polished looking and lack the frosted look of polyethylene bags. Foil bags are usually either silver or gold in colour. What To Do When You Get Them Home First, if the hops are improperly packaged (and you had no choice but to buy them) you need to get them in suitable barrier packaging as soon as possible. If you're going to brew with them soon and are going to use them all up in a few weeks or so, however, don't worry about it - just put them in the freezer and use them up quickly. If the hops were properly packaged, don't open them until you need to. Store them in the freezer. Once you've opened them, the biggest problem is what to do with the remainder. If you keg your beer or otherwise have carbon dioxide or nitrogen available, you can flush mason jars with the gas, put the hops in, and add a layer of gas and reseal the jar. An alternative container is a PET plastic jar like the ones peanut butter comes in. Practice with the gas first because it's very easy to blast your hops all over the room, and always use a regulator. If you can't do this, put the hops in a mason or PET jar and put them in the freezer - it's better than nothing. How Long Will Hops Last? Like most things in brewing, the answer is, "It depends." If you keep them very cold and free from oxygen, hops should last a few years. It's not uncommon for hop brokers to be selling pelletized and vacuum-sealed hops from two or three seasons ago. Commercial breweries continue to use last year's crop well into the current year's harvest. This is not to say that the oils and a-acids will be exactly the same as when you purchased them, but the hops won't be "bad"; hops are not considered "bad" until they get below 50% of their original a-acid value at which point the degree of oxidation will produce a definitely cheesy aroma. Conclusions The hop variety, storage temperature and storage conditions all play a role in determining how fast a-acids are lost from the hops. Of these, temperature is the most important factor over which we have control. Next is hop variety and finally the aerobic or anaerobic storage conditions. . One last word of advice: Don't buy brown hops - they should always be green.
11. Which hops are best? - A Guide to Hop VarietiesHops are added to beer to balance the malt sweetness with the bitterness of its oils. Hops can also add flavours and aromas in various degrees (depending largely on how and when they are added to the wort or finished beer).Some hops are best used primarily for adding bitterness, while others, especially the noble varieties, are used primarily for adding aroma and flavour, although many European beers use only noble hops for bittering as well.. Many hops can serve as bittering, flavour and aroma hops. The suggestions for use in this guide are drawn primarily from current and historical brewing practice. This Guide to Hop Varieties will help you select the hops which match the style of beer you are brewing. Key to Descriptions Alpha Acid level: this is the range of the AA given in % for each type of hop. The Alpha acid is important for bittering: the greater the %, the more powerful the bittering effect per unit. Storage: Alpha acids break down over a time which depends as well on temperature. The storage value indicates the percentage of AA remaining after storage lasting 6 months at a temperature of 20 C (or 72F). Note, however, that by keeping the hops in the freezer (and away from light and oxygen), their AA levels remain virtually unchanged for years. hops should be vacuum sealed and stored between -20C and -40C. Aroma: a description of the aromatic characteristics of the hop. Uses: the most common uses for the hop. Substitutions: other hops which may do the same or similar job.
HOP VARIETY DESCRIPTIONS Amarillo A new variety discovered as a mutation by a grower and now being produced in small quantities by Hop Union. Characterized by mid- to high alpha acid content, and low cohumulone, colupulone, and humulene. Similar to Cascade in aroma. Preliminary response from brewers has been positive.
Bramling Cross Cultivated in 1927 by crossing a Goldings female and a wild Manitoba male. Used as a general-purpose bittering hop, lately it has been used to provide a unique fruity, blackcurrant and lemon notes in traditional ales, especially in Christmas ales. Dry hopping can produce a very interesting effect. Bramling Cross is an under-appreciated hop.
Bullion Cultivated in 1919 by crossing a Manitoban female and an English male It has a spicy and intense aroma which should be controlled by a 60 minute boil.
Cascade American cross of Fuggle and a Russian hop, Cascade is a very popular aroma hop with a distinct character. Use in almost any American style beer for bittering as well as aroma.
Centennial A fairly new domestic cross, Centennial is also called CFJ90, and sometimes called a Super Cascade. Can be used for aroma as well as bittering, but is best used as the bittering hop with Cascade for aroma.
Challenger (UK) A granddaughter of Northern Brewer, Challenger is a good dual purpose hop with good aroma characteristics and reasonably high alpha acids. This is a great hop for any English Ales.
Cluster A classic American bittering hop, Cluster is probably a cross with native American hops with European varieties. Recently has been replaced by Galena in popularity. It is still one of the most widely used hops in American brewing. Cluster is the oldest American variety still grown. It has a clean bitterness and excellent storage ability but Galena is preferred.
Columbus A very new bittering hop, Columbus is a very high alpha acid variety similar to Centennial, but with a slightly more herbal, pleasant aroma and good flavour.
Crystal Crystal is crossed Cascade, Brewer's Gold, and Early Green. It has a perfumed flowery character that goes well with lagers.
First Gold Early brewing trials indicate that First Gold is an extremely exciting prospect. The variety is very suitable both as a general kettle hop and also for late and dry hopping in all types of beer. First Gold has excellent aroma qualities and much of the flavour character of WGV seems to have been retained, producing a well-balanced bitterness and a fruity, slightly spicy note in ales. Considerable areas of First Gold are being planned and there is significant interest already from Britain's traditional ale brewers.
Fuggle Fuggle is the most famous hop for English ales. It has suffered from wilts of late, and has largely been replaced by newer varieties. Fuggle provides a full British style palate and can be used alone, but is often used along with Goldings.
Galena Recently this hop has accounted for half of all the bittering done in the USA. This is a very popular hop with the brewing industry, although it remains almost unknown to many homebrewers. It has a clean unassertive bitterness that makes it ideal for almost any style, and has the best storability of any hop.
Hallertauer Hersbrucker (Germany) The Hallertau is an area between Munich and Nuernburg (general region of Bavaria). It is the largest area of hop production in Europe. The Hallertau produces two main types of hops: Hersbrucker and Northern Brewer. The Hersbrucker is often called Hallertau, but really these hops should be distinguished. There is a variety properly called Hallertau, which formed the stock of the American Hallertau hop. The proper Hallertau also has notable sub-varieties such as Mittelfrueh and Tradition (famous German variety).
Kent Goldings (UK) The premier English hop, with a lineage going back to 1790. Sometimes these are even isolated by the area, e.g., East Kent Goldings (see the hop plugs) often considered the best. Can be used for bittering British ales as well as finishing and aroma.
Liberty This variety released in 1991, is similar to German hops. Liberty is bred from Hallertau Mittlefreuh. It has excellent aroma, a fitting successor to the traditional noble hops.
Mount Hood A variety from 1989, it is similar to Hallertau and Hersbrucker.
Northdown (UK) Derived from Northern Brewer, it shares many of the same characteristics, and has replaced Northern Brewer in much of the UK for all uses, including dry Irish Stouts. Northdown has a clean and mild bitterness with delicate hop aroma.
Northern Brewer The American variety has strong woody or minty qualities. Northern Brewer is very good for bittering Porters, Stouts, or American steam beers. The German version has slightly better aromatic qualities.
Nugget A cross between East Kent Goldings, Brewer's Gold, and Bavarian. Sharply bitter, and stores well, but otherwise nondescript. Nugget is grown in the USA.
Perle A Northern Brewer cross with higher alpha acid levels than other German strains, but with a fine aroma.
Polnischer Lublin (Poland) A true noble hop, bred from Saaz, and just as fine. This hop is rarely seen in North America as it is still primarily an Eastern European hop.
Pride of Ringwood (Australia) Pride of Ringwood was released in 1965 as a very high Alpha acid hop, this hop accounts for about 90% of Australian hop production. Cross of a wild Tasmanian hop and the English Pride of Kent. It has a distinct somewhat coarse but pleasant citrus aroma (try a Foster's lager).
Progress (UK) A hop with moderate bittering power, but great aromatics too. It is a cross between Whitbread's Golding Variety and North American male hops. Somewhat similar to Fuggle, but slightly sweeter, and usually providing a softer bitterness in beers of all types. With its slightly higher alpha content, it represents good value for bitterness if a beer recipe demands aroma hops for the entire bittering element. This variety has a potential not yet fully exploited, to provide excellent beer flavours.
Saaz (Czech) This Saaz is the original Pilsner hop, and is a truly noble hop (try a Pilsner Urquell). To brew an authentic Pilsner, Saaz is the only choice and sets the standard for aroma hops, but it also excellent in all European lagers for both bittering and flavour.
Santiam (USA) An aromatic hop derived from Tettnang and Hallertau and released in 1997 with good "noble" qualities. Oils 1.3-1.5% of hop
Spalt Select (Germany) One of the classic noble hops, now grown mostly in the Hallertau region. It has a very fine aroma, similar to Czech Saaz. Use in German lagers or any beer which calls for a noble hop.
Sterling (USA) Seems to offer a combination of Saaz and Mt Hood, and finding use as a substitute for Saaz. Oils run 1.3 - 1.9%
Styrian Goldings (Slovenia) This hop emerged from a British Fuggle grown in Slovenia. It is a classic hop with fine aroma and good bittering flavour (although like Fuggle it is not high in alpha acid).
Target (UK) Released in 1972 in the UK as a high acid cousin to Challenger, Target was bred from Northern Brewer female and a male Goldings and is a true dual purpose hop. Alpha acids are moderately high, but the flavour profile is clean British, great in any English style ale. This hop is currently the most widely used hop in the UK.
Tettnanger Tettnanger is one of the original noble German hops from the Tettnang area, but often grown with good results in the USA. Its aroma is very fine, and spicy, but it is a low yielding hop which makes it expensive. Use mostly in European and American lagers for aroma and flavour (occasionally for bittering too).
Tradition A close decendant of the Hallertau Mittelfrueh, these hops is earning the title of "noble" by many brewers.
Ultra This is the latest release in the American Mittelfrueh series. Its aroma is often called "outstanding". Alpha acid levels tend to be low, but that is typical of the noble European varieties to which it is related. Alas, this one has gone for perhaps the very reason that made it great, its low acid level.
Willamette Grown mostly in Oregon, Willamette is a seedless version of Fuggle with similar character. It has a mild, pleasant, but spicier aroma than a Fuggle. Like Fuggle it can be used for bittering too in American ales and lagers.
WGV (Whitbread Goldings Variety) Developed in the 1960s to help the Goldings increase alpha acid levels, this hop dual purpose hop has great flavour and aromatics. Provides a distinctive sweet fruit flavour in beers, similar to, but generally more pronounced and robust than, Goldings. It gives a mild, clean bitterness in traditional ales, and is sometimes used with good effect as a distinctive dry hop. Used perhaps still in Archer's Bitters, Bellhaven's ale, and Young's.
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