From Vol. 8, No. 4, August 2024
In 2014, the Hop Breeding Company commercialized a hop previously known as HBC 366 and named her Equinox. The name didn’t last long, because Equinox Brewing in Colorado owned the trademark. HBC 366 became Eukanot instead.
Heritage: She is a daughter of Warrior and a Yakima Chief Ranches breeding program male, the result of a cross made in 2001.
The basics: 14-15% alpha acids, 4.5-5.5% beta acids, 2.5-4.5 mL/100 grams total oil. Rich in survivables, notably 2-methylbutyl isobutyrate and geraniol. Has a concentration of the thiol 3S4MP/3M4MP (passion fruit, grapefruit, rhubarb) that is similar to Nelson Sauvin.
Aroma qualities: Melon, berry, citrus-lime, apple and papaya, as well as spicy, green pepper.
Also notable: Although Ekuanot was commercialized in 2014, acreage was not reported until 2017 (officially withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations). That year, farmers planted 890 acres, followed by 805 in 2018. Acreage began to shrink at the time total hop production was still growing, to 632, 641, 386, 367, and 373 between 2019 and 2023. This year growers strung 347 acres for harvest. It appears that supply and demand for Ekuanot are closer to finding a balance than many other varieties.