New hop varieties in 1953

I’ve been browsing through a bound Brewers’ Guardian from 1953 again. And found some fascinating stuff about new hop varieties. I’m sure that you’re as fascinated about this as I am. If not, why the hell would you be reading my blog?

Here’s a lovely table:

Results of analysis of samples of hops entered for the new varieties Challenge Cups Competition.
(Resins calculated on moisture-free hops)
CLASS "A"
			Alpha Resin	Beta Resin	Moisture
Grower	Variety entered		%	%	H2O
Amos, A. & K. J.	Pride of Kent	170a	7.25	12.05	9.94
do.	Northern Brewer	WFBI35	8.69	9.74	9.6
Bomford. J. F. Ltd.	Sunshine Hop	V94	6.19	8.41	8.59
Chambers, Wm. & Sons Southfleet Farm	Pride of Kent	170a	7.71	11.82	9.59
do.	Sunshine Hop	V94	7.51	9.75	7.84
do.	Early Promise	X35	6.84	7.71	8.69
Chambers, Wm. & Sons Swanscombe Farm	Brewers Gold	C9a	8.88	9.87	10.11
Chambers, Wm. & Sons Langley Farm	Early Promise	X35	6.74	6.49	8.96
Chambers, Wm. & Sons Hunton & Yalding Farms	Early Promise	X35	5.51	9.38	7.97
Chambers, Wm. & Sons Sevenoaks Farm	Brewers Gold	C9a	7.08	5.18	9.89
do.	Early Promise	X35	6.07	8.99	9.18
do.	Pride of Kent	170a	7.41	12.96	10.39
Day, Brian H.		OT48	7.47	9.17	8.89
Hukins, W. D.	Northern Brewer	WFB135	7.95	9.18	9.7
Nott, J.		OF27	6.71	8.24	10.8
Nott, J.	Northern Brewer	WFB135	9.02	10.88	10.38
Skinner, Wm. & Son	Early Promise	X35	6.31	8.23	8.84
Little Fowle Hall	Early Promise	X35	7.71	8.27	9.52
Wickham, R. D.	Early Promise	X35	4.38	13.03	9.92
Wimshurst, T. E.	Pride of Kent	170a	7.07	11.79	9.9
do.	College Cluster	N15BIS	5.72	7.72	9.27
do.	John Ford	WFA90	8.77	10.31	10.26
Worley, J. A.	Northern Brewer	WFB135	8.36	9.98	9.03
Veall, H.	Pride of Kent	170a	8.04	14.36	10.14
Veall, H.	Northern Brewer	WFB135	8.45	8.89	9.31
Source:
"Brewers' Guardian 1953", February page 74.

Not all of those varieties have continued to be grown. A couple – Northern Brewer and Brewers Gold – are still pretty popular.

I’m not going to pester you with too many words. But I will make a few remarks. The alpha acid content of Early Promise is really variable. From 4.38% to 7.71%.

Oh, and make a quick comparison with modern English hops.

English hop varieties in 2000
Cultivar	alpha-acid (%)	alpha/beta ratio	Cohumulone (%)	Oil (%)	Humulene /Caryophyllene ratio	Comments
Admiral	13.5-16.2	2.6-3.2	26-32	1.0-1.7		Wilt tolerant
Bramling Cross	6.0-7.8	2.4-3.1	26-31	0.7-1.0	2.2	Wilt tolerant
Brewers Gold	5.5-8.5	1.9	38	1.5	2.3
Bullion	6.0-9.0	1.9	36	3.2	1.5
First Gold (Dwarf)	5.6-8.7	2.4-3.2	29-34	0.7-1.4	3.2	Wilt tolerant
Fuggle	3.0-5.6	1.5-2.2	29-30	0.7-1.1	3.3
Goldings	4.4-6.7	2.1-2.6	26-32	0.8-1.0	3.5
Herald (Dwarf)	11.0-13.0	2.4	37	1.0-2.2	2.4	Wilt resistant
Northern Brewer	6.5-10.0	2	23	2	2.8
Phoenix	12.0-15.0	2.1-2.6	24-28	1.2-2.5		Wilt resistant
Progress	6.0-7.5	2.8-3.3	27-36	0.5-0.8	3.3	Wilt tolerant
Whitbread Golding Variety (WGV)	5.4-7.7	2.3-3.0	32-43	0.8-1.2	3.5	Wilt tolerant
Wye Challenger	6.5-8.5	1.8-2.1	20-25	1.0-1.5	3.1
Wye Northdown	6.8-9.6	1.5-2.2	24-29	1.2-2.2	2.7
Wye Target	9.9-12.6	2.2-2.8	35-39	1.2-1.4	2.4	Wilt resistant
Source:
Brewing: science and practice, by Dennis E. Briggs, Chris A. Boulton, Peter A. Brookes and Roger Stevens, 2004, page 252.

One of the two 1953 examples of Brewers Gold has an alpha acid content slightly higher than the modern upper limit – 8.8%, on a range given as 5.5% to 8%. And the Northern Brewer examples are all towards the top end when it comes to alpha acid.

More on hops soon.