Best New Hops and Hop Products in 2023

The world of hops is always changing. With a slew of new varieties and hop products being released every year, it can be difficult for brewers to stay on top of what is worth their time and attention. And just because a new variety gets released, that doesn't mean it will have the staying power required to make a lasting impression on the brewing industry. In fact, every hop variety needs to check a lot of boxes with farmers, brewers, and beer drinkers in order to stick around. That's why the Yakima Valley Hops Crew cut through all the noise and static to highlight three new varieties with huge impact potential.

HBC 1019 is only about halfway through the decade long process of bringing a hop variety fully to market, but it has already gotten the attention of brewers and looks like it is on track to be the next big hop. 1019 was the result of a cross back in 2016 by the Hop Breeding Company (HBC), which is a collaborative effort between John I. Haas and Yakima Chief Ranches.

The first two breweries to sponsor HBC 1019 acreage were Reuben's Brews in Seattle, WA and Odell Brewing Company in Fort Collins, CO. Since they were the original sponsors, they were the only breweries with access to HBC 1019 for the first couple years, as acreage was scaling up. Now that there is more to go around, other breweries have the opportunity to get their hands on HBC 1019.

HBC 1019 is described in the Haas Hops Companion as "a potent but pleasing mix of citrus, tropical and stone fruits, with notes of coconut, Valencia oranges, caramelized bananas, peaches, and honeydew melon." Citrus and tropical fruit are far from new descriptors when it comes to aroma hop varieties, but HBC 1019 sets itself apart from the crowd by its complexity, depth of flavor, and huge impact. Even single-hopped beers with HBC 1019 are remarkably well-rounded with big flavors and aromas of ripe, juicy, and fleshy fruit. It works well with other popular hops like Citra®, Mosaic®, and Galaxy®, but it can create incredible beers all on its own.

Brewers from Reuben's and Odell also highlighted a very unique sweetness that was described as caramelized sugar, caramelized plantains, dark rum, and daiquiris. Candied oranges or peaches are another way to describe the distinctive flavor. However you describe it, HBC 1019 has already proven itself to be a crowd pleaser.

Recommended Styles: Fruit-forward IPAs of every shape and size

HBC 1134 has been a labor of love by Michael Ferguson, the hop breeder for HBC at John I. Haas. Ferguson loves lagers, pilsners, and other delicate classic styles, so when he made the move from strawberries to hops, it was his dream to breed the new American lager hop. It took him years of crosses, but he finally found what he was looking for in HBC 1134.

HBC 1134 offers the classic noble flavors of floral, pine, and light lemon all wrapped up in an American grown variety that offers amazing agronomics, storage stability, and bitterness quality. Brewers specifically note a delicate rose character that presents beautifully in light lagers and the like. The fresh floral character of HBC 1134 is backed by a delicate herbal and woody aromatic quality that is prized in noble varieties, such as Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Saaz, and East Kent Golding. HBC 1134's citrus elements are described as sweet lemon and pink grapefruit, which might even make it a suitable hop to incorporate into a classic West Coast IPA, especially if that pine resin character can be pulled out on the hot side.

So far, the historical analytical averages for HBC 1134 show it to have a moderate alpha acid range between 9.5 – 12.5% and a good amount of total oils, between 1.8 – 3.0 ml/100g, which means it offers big flavor, potentially on both the hot and cold sides.

As craft beer drinkers’ tastes seem to be shifting to lighter styles like lagers and pilsners, HBC 1134 is poised to make a name for itself as the gold standard American lager hop. Now it just needs a name. So, the next time you are drinking (or brewing) a cold, crisp lager with HBC 1134, be sure to think of Michael Ferguson and his labor of love that has finally come to fruition.

Recommended Styles: Anything that Michael Ferguson would drink

McKenzie is the only variety of these three to already have a name, so there is no doubt that it will be around for a while. McKenzie is also unique because it is the first variety to be released by the West Coast Hop Breeding Company (WCHB) in Aurora, Oregon. WCHB is a co-operative project between six Oregon farms to breed and release varieties specifically for the climate and agronomy of Oregon. This helps varieties to thrive in their natural climate and also maximize the local terroir character of the growing region.

McKenzie has been available since the 2021 growing season, but acreage is finally scaling up enough so that more brewers are able to try it for themselves. McKenzie boasts beautiful fruit flavors like grapefruit, lemon, and nectarines, but it is backed by fresh pine and herbal elements that is reminiscent of classic varieties like Centennial, Chinook, or even Fuggle. This classic character at its heart makes McKenzie an instant hit with brewers who are looking for a hop to fit into an old school West Coast IPA or classical American Pale Ale.

McKenzie is versatile enough to be featured in a wide range of styles in addition to IPAs and pale ales, including lighter styles such as kölsch, lager, and pilsner. When used in the boil, more of that classic pine and herbal character is pulled out. When used on the cold side, McKenzie can be "bright and fruity." McKenzie's total oil content sits around 2.3 ml/100g, so it does have a big flavor impact and even a little can go a long way. It also works well with classic varieties like Chinook and Centennial or new fruit-forward hops like Citra and Mosaic.

Recommended Styles: West Coast IPAs, American pale ales, kölsch, or dry-hopped pilsner

Innovative liquid hop products like SPECTRUM and INCOGNITO® offer brewers a new way to brew with their favorite varieties. Both SPECTRUM and INCOGNITO are variety specific and available in fan favorites like Citra®, Mosaic®, and more. These innovative liquid hop products maximize flavor and aroma all while minimizing process loss. Because SPECTRUM and INCOGNITO have 0% vegetative matter, brewers can increase their yields and stop dumping so much trub and beer down the drain.

Not only will SPECTRUM and INCOGNITO help brewers increase their efficiency and improve yields, they can also improve flavor, aroma, and shelf stability in heavily hopped beers. INCOGNITO is intended for use in the whirlpool and can be used to augment or even replace pellet additions. In flagship beers or established recipes it is best to use INCOGNITO in conjunction with hop pellets to find that sweet spot in efficiency gains and consistent flavor profiles.

SPECTRUM is a dry-hopping alternative that can be used at any time you would use pellets. SPECTRUM delivers the full range of true-to-type flavor compounds, including all of the glycosidically bound fractions, making them available for amazing bio-transformation reactions if you dose during high kräusen. SPECTRUM is also fully dispersible in cold beer so it can be dosed right into the brite tanks. Like with INCOGNITO, it is best to use SPECTRUM alongside pellet additions in established beers, but is also capable of fully replacing pellets for maximum efficiency gains.

Liquid hop products are an easy way for brewers to increase their efficiency without needing to make any changes to their process or buy new expensive equipment. In addition to SPECTRUM and INCOGNITO there is a whole portfolio of innovative hop products that can help brewers improve efficiencies at every step of the brewing process, including bittering, whirlpool, dry-hopping, fermentation foam control, and even shelf-stable haze.

Explore these innovative hop products and more to find ways to maximize your efficiency, flavor, and aroma at YakimaValleyHops.com