The Hop Breeding Company has finally given HBC 586 a name, and for the press release making the announcement breeder Jason Perrault, says, “Many of my brewing friends are simply saying, ‘It’s about time.’”
In 2022, Perrault estimated that Yakima Valley hop growers had strung about 150 acres1 of the cultivar beginning today known as Krush, and many brewers expected her to be named before the 2023 planting season. However, the release was delayed because of surprisingly low yields in some fields, perhaps because of a heat dome that settled over the growing region in 2022.
This is a reminder of why it takes so long for a new cultivar to be commercialized. Sometimes a hop must prove herself one more time. Krush is the product of a cross made 17 years ago.
“Introducing a new hop variety to a wider craft market is always a thrill,” says Michael Ferguson, director of hop breeding at John I. Haas, a partner with Yakima Chief Ranches in the Hop Breeding Company. “Krush is incredibly versatile and has the immediate potential to inspire brewers with its robust citrus and tropical fruit profile. The hop has performed exceptionally well during years of rigorous trials, and I look forward to more brewers utilizing Krush in their recipes for years to come.”
Krush contains 12-13% alpha acids, 7.5-8.5% beta acids, and 1.2–2.5 ml/100g essential oil. She is rich in “survivables.”
“Not every variety translates so clearly from raw hop aroma to finished beer, but Krush bursts with peach, mango, citrus, and tropical notes at harvest and adds a pop of these same flavors to every Krush beer I’ve tasted,” Tiffany Pitra, senior sensory manager at Yakima Chief Hops, says for the press release.
Perrault, CEO as well as breeder at Yakima Chief Ranches, says he considers the cultivar a rarity. “Some hops you have to experience to understand. Krush is one of them. It delivers a big tropical and fruit punchiness without being overpowering.” he says.
1 For perspective, 150 acres is three times the size of the average farm in Germany,
