From Vol. 4, No. 10, February 2021
History: Here’s an example of how the public breeding program has changed. A panel was organized at the 2014 Craft Brewers Conference to promote the release of four new public varieties – Cashmere, Tahoma, Yakima Gold and Triple Pearl. Cashmere attracted the most attention. Problem is, it was grown on one 47-hill plot. In the Yakima Valley, farmers typically hang about 900 plants to an acre.
Compare the release of Cashmere to Sabro. The Hop Breeding Company gave HBC 438 a name in April of 2018. Farmers strung 678 acres of Sabro in 2019 and harvested more than 2,000 in 2020.
Sabro is much more in demand ($22.99 a pound at Yakima Valley Hops compared to $14.99 for Cashmere), but Cashmere sells for a premium compared to Cascade and Centennial. Brewers continue to discover it and acreage increased to 678 in 2020.
The basics: 7.7-9.1% alpha acids, 3.5-4.5% beta acids, 1.2-1.4% mL/100 grams total oil.
Aroma qualities: She is a cross between a Cascade mother and male of Northern Brewer heritage, but with more tropical character than her mother. Used in dry hopping, she may contribute peach and melon notes.