Average Alpha Acid Content of individual hop varieties in the 1970s

The varieties being grown were the relatively low alpha acid older types and newer varieties, partly developed for higher bitterness.

As you’ll see, if you can be arsed to look at the numbers in the tables, there was quite a bit of variation in the alpha acid content from year to year.

For example, the difference between the highest and lowest years for Wye Target was 29%. For Goldings, 33%. And for Bullion a massive 46%.

Interestingly, the good and bad years don’t match up for the different varieties. For example, 1976 was the top year for many types: Goldings, Bullion and Progress. But a poor year for Wye Target. While for some 1978 was the best year: Wye Northdown and Wye Challenger.

Now, if I was being dead clever, I’d incorporate the exact alpha acid level into the recipes. Mmm. Good idea that.

From the overall average, it seems that increasing volumes of the higher alpha varieties were being grown. 

Average Alpha Acid Content (%) of individual varieties 1969 - 1974
Variety of Hops	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
Goldings	-	-	4.5	4.2	5.2	4.9
Fuggles	-	-	3.7	4.1	4.4	4.4
Northern Brewer	7.1	6.7	6.1	6.5	7.6	6.9
Bramling Cross	-	6.2	5	4.7	6.4	5.6
Bullion	6.6	6.3	5.9	7.4	8.4	7.7
Wye Northdown	-	-	7.2	7.7	8.5	8.4
Progress	-	5.4	4.9	4.7	5.9	5.4
Keyworths	-	6.5	5.5	5.7	7.7	6.3
Wye Challenger	-	-	7.1	7	7.4	6.9
W.G.V.	-	-	5	4.7	5.7	5.6
Wye Target	-	-	-	-	10	9.3
Others	-	-	4	4.1	5.3	5
Sources:
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1974, page 20.
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1978, page 20.

Average Alpha Acid Content (%) of individual varieties 1975 - 1980
Variety of Hops	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980
Goldings	4.8	5.6	4.6	5.2	4.5	4.7
Fuggles	4.2	4.5	3.9	4.6	3.9	4.2
Northern Brewer	7.1	7.5	6.9	7.5	7.5	7.4
Bramling Cross	5.6	6.8	4.8	5.7	5.5	5.5
Bullion	7.7	9.2	7.1	8.3	6.7	7.8
Wye Northdown	8.1	8.4	8.1	8.6	8	7.9
Progress	5.1	6.3	5.1	5.9	5.1	5.4
Keyworths	6.9	7.4	5.9	7.4	5.7	6.2
Wye Challenger	6.8	7.4	7	7.8	7.2	7.3
W.G.V.	5.1	6.2	5.2	6	5.2	5.7
Wye Target	9.7	9.9	10.2	11.8	10.5	10.8
Wye Saxon	-	6.7	7	7.2	6.9	6.8
Others	5.7	7.1	6.4	7	6.7	6.4
Overall average	-	-	6.9	7.8	7.1	7.3
Sources:
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1974, page 20.
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1978, page 20.
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1980, page 24.