When the Hop Breeding Company introduced Krush, the newest variety from its breeding program to get a name, it described peach, mango, citrus, and tropical notes. And when Hopsteiner recently named Erebus, the announcement described notes of blueberry, citrus, and candied fruit.
Those are modern hop flavors.
Muscat, black currant, catty, and “American tang” are words that British brewers used when they first brewed with the experimental hops that would eventually be called Brewer’s Gold and Bullion. Those brewers back then didn’t want those aromas and flavors, and—on the surface, at least—they would seem to have little in common with modern tastes.
So, why is Brewer’s Gold the dominant hop in Russian River RnD Series Hazy IPA #54? And why does the brewery plan to release a beer called Bring Back Brewer’s Gold in 2025?
The answer is a story about heritage, the value of research, and changing practices on the farm and in the brewhouse.