1 March 2010
SIBA first to taste new English hop
The first hop to come out of the National Hop Association’s breeding programme will be tasted for the first time by delegates at the SIBA Conference in Stratford-on-Avon on 4th + 5th March.
SIBA contributed £10,000 to save the hop breeding programme from Wye College when it was closed following the removal of Government funding in 2007. With support from the industry, including SIBA, the programme was restarted on land near Canterbury under the continued direction of Dr Peter Darby.
The hop to be tasted next month has been in trial for the last two years and is a bitter dwarf variety. Dr Darby explains, “Currently, many bitter hops are imported, particularly by the larger breweries. A domestic alternative will appeal to brewers who are interested in the provenance of their ingredients, as well as reducing their food miles. So we’re keen to get an early response from SIBA members.” The new hop, being a dwarf type, also requires fewer pesticides than traditional varieties.
Shepherd Neame have used the new hop in a trial brew, samples of which will be offered to the 300+ delegates in Stratford. Everyone tasting it will be asked to complete a detailed response card, giving their views on the bitterness imparted by the hop and whether they would consider using it instead of their current variety. Their responses will help the National Hop Association to decide on whether or not to proceed to the next stage in the trial, which would be to grow the new variety on a number of hop farms.
Don Burgess, SIBA’s technical director, said, “We’re delighted to be asked to give our input to the hop breeding programme in this way. The future of domestic hop farming is a subject close to the hearts of many SIBA brewers, so I’m sure many Conference delegates will want to sample the new hop and offer feedback.”
Caption to attached image: the bitterness hop grown in trial by the National Hop Association
-ends-
Issued on behalf of: Society of Independent Brewers
By: Shiel Communications
For information: Ros Shiel
07841 694137/ 01403 267971
ros@shielcomms.co.uk
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