Editing Hops (section)

==Varieties==
{{Main article|List of hop varieties}}
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2014}}

===Breeding programmes===
There are many different varieties of hops used in brewing today. Historically, hops varieties were identified by geography, i.e., from the towns of [[Hallertau]], [[Spalt]], and [[Tettnang]] in [[Germany]],<ref name="Craft Beer & Brewing 2023">{{cite web | title=The Oxford Companion to Beer Definition of German hops | website=Craft Beer & Brewing | date=April 6, 2023 | url=http://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/e02KFPB7Ey/ | access-date=April 6, 2023}}</ref> or the region writ large like the [[Humulus lupulus var. neomexicanus|Neomexicanus hops]] of [[New Mexico]].<ref name="Stephens 2021">{{cite web | last=Stephens | first=Hollie | title=The Rise of Neomexicanus | website=Craft Beer & Brewing | date=October 18, 2021 | url=https://beerandbrewing.com/the-rise-of-neomexicanus/ | access-date=April 6, 2023}}</ref> Others were named for the farmer who is recognized as first cultivating them, including Goldings or Fuggles from England,<ref name="BeerAdvocate 2016">{{cite web | title=Finding Mr. Fuggle: The Largely Mysterious History of England's Two Greatest Hop Varieties | website=BeerAdvocate | date=April 11, 2016 | url=https://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/13523/finding-mr-fuggle-the-largely-mysterious-history-of-englands-two-greatest-hop-varieties/ | access-date=April 6, 2023}}</ref> or by their growing habit like the Oregon Cluster.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brewery History: 121, pp. 94–112 |url=http://www.breweryhistory.com/journal/archive/121/bh-121-094.htm |access-date=2 June 2017 |website=www.breweryhistory.com}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

Around 1900, a number of institutions began to experiment with breeding specific hop varieties. The breeding program at [[Wye College]] in [[Wye, Kent]], was started in 1904 and rose to prominence through the work of Prof. [[E. S. Salmon]]. Salmon released [[List of hop varieties#Brewer's Gold|Brewer's Gold]] and Brewer's Favorite for commercial cultivation in 1934, and went on to release more than two dozen new cultivars before his death in 1959. Brewer's Gold has become the ancestor of the bulk of new hop releases around the world since its release.<ref name="IBD APac">{{Cite web |last1=Capper |first1=Allison |last2=Darby |first2=Peter |date=24 March 2014 |title=What makes British Hops Unique in the world of Hop Growing? |url=http://www.britishhops.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Asia-Pacific-Final-Paper.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725154905/http://www.britishhops.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Asia-Pacific-Final-Paper.pdf |archive-date=25 July 2014 |access-date=4 July 2014 |website=www.britishhops.org.uk}}</ref>

Wye College continued its breeding program and again received attention in the 1970s, when Dr. Ray A. Neve released Wye [[List of hop varieties#Target|Target]], Wye [[Challenger hop|Challenger]], Wye [[List of hop varieties#Northdown|Northdown]], Wye [[List of hop varieties#Saxon|Saxon]] and Wye [[List of hop varieties#Yeoman|Yeoman]]. More recently, Wye College and its successor institution Wye Hops Ltd., have focused on breeding the first [[dwarfing|dwarf]] hop varieties, which are easier to pick by machine and far more economical to grow.<ref name="Brit Hops History">{{Cite web |title=History of Hops |url=http://www.britishhops.org.uk/history-of-hops/ |access-date=19 July 2014 |website=British Hop Association |archive-date=30 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630041620/http://www.britishhops.org.uk/history-of-hops/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Wye College have also been responsible for breeding hop varieties that will grow with only 12 hours of daily light for the South African hop farmers. Wye College was closed in 2009 but the legacy of their hop breeding programs, particularly that of the dwarf varieties, is continuing as already the US private and public breeding programs are using their stock material.

Particular hop varieties are associated with beer regions and styles, for example [[pale lager]]s are usually brewed with European (often German, Polish or Czech) noble hop varieties such as [[Saaz hops|Saaz]], Hallertau and Strissel Spalt. [[Beer in England|British ales]] use hop varieties such as Fuggles, Goldings and W.G.V. [[Beer in the United States|North American beers]] often use [[Cascade hops]], Columbus hops, Centennial hops, Willamette, [[Amarillo hops]] and about forty more varieties as the US have lately been the more significant breeders of new hop varieties, including dwarf hop varieties.

Hops from New Zealand, such as Pacific Gem, Motueka and Nelson Sauvin, are used in a "Pacific Pale Ale" style of beer with increasing production in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Trade Preview 2014 |url=http://www.ontrade.co.uk/Backissues/Totp2014/files/assets/common/downloads/The_OnTrade_Preview_2014.pdf |website=www.ontrade.co.uk}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

===Noble hops===
[[File:Hopfengarten.jpg|thumb|right|Mature hops growing in a hop yard in Germany]]

The term "noble hops" is a marketing term that traditionally refers to certain varieties of hops that became known for being low in bitterness and high in [[aroma]].<ref name="walsh">{{Cite web |last=Andrew Walsh |date=30 November 2001 |title=An Investigation into the Purity of Noble Hop Lineage |url=https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Noble_Hops |access-date=10 March 2019 |website=www.morebeer.com |publisher=More Beer; In: Brewing Techniques – Vol. 6, No.2}}</ref> They are the European [[cultivar]]s or races Hallertau, Tettnanger, Spalt, and [[Saaz hops|Saaz]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hop growers union of the Czech Republic |url=http://www.czhops.cz/index.php/en |access-date=20 May 2012 |website=www.czhops.cz |publisher=Czhops.cz}}</ref> Some proponents assert that the English varieties Fuggle, East Kent Goldings and Goldings might qualify as "noble hops" due to the similar composition, but such terms are not applied to English varieties. Their low relative bitterness, but strong aroma, are often distinguishing characteristics of European-style [[lager]]s, such as [[Pilsener]], [[Dunkel]], and [[Märzen|Oktoberfest/Märzen]]. In beer, they are considered aroma hops (as opposed to bittering hops);<ref name=walsh/> see [[Pilsner Urquell]] as a classic example of the Bohemian Pilsener style, which showcases noble hops.

As with grapes, the location where hops are grown affects the hops' characteristics. Much as [[Dortmunder (beer)|Dortmunder beer]] may within the EU be labelled "Dortmunder" only if it has been brewed in [[Dortmund]], noble hops may officially be considered "noble" only if they were grown in the areas for which the hop varieties ([[Race (biology)|races]]) were named.

* '''Hallertau''' or '''Hallertauer''': The original German lager hop; named after [[Hallertau]] or Holledau region in central Bavaria. Due to susceptibility to crop disease, it was largely replaced by [[Hersbruck]]er in the 1970s and 1980s. (Alpha acid 3.5–5.5% / beta acid 3–4%)
* '''Spalt''': Traditional German noble hop from the [[Spalt]]er region south of Nuremberg. With a delicate, spicy aroma. (Alpha acid 4–5% / beta acid 4–5%)
* '''Tettnang''': Comes from [[Tettnang]], a small town in southern [[Baden-Württemberg]] in Germany. The region produces significant quantities of hops, and ships them to [[brewery|breweries]] throughout the world. Noble German dual-use hop used in European pale lagers, sometimes with Hallertau. Soft bitterness. (Alpha acid 3.5–5.5% / beta acid 3.5–5.5%)
* '''Žatec (Saaz)''': Noble hop, named after [[Žatec]] town, used extensively in Bohemia to flavour pale Czech lagers such as [[Pilsner Urquell]]. Soft aroma and bitterness. (Alpha acid 3–4.5% /Beta acid 3–4.5%)

Noble hops are characterized through analysis as having an aroma quality resulting from numerous factors in the essential oil, such as an alpha:beta ratio of 1:1, low alpha-acid levels (2–5%) with a low cohumulone content, low myrcene in the hop oil, high humulene in the oil, a ratio of humulene:caryophyllene above three, and poor storability resulting in them being more prone to oxidation.<ref name=walsh/> In reality, this means they have a relatively consistent bittering potential as they age, due to beta-acid oxidation, and a flavor that improves as they age during periods of poor storage.<ref name=walsh/><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 April 2000 |title=Hop Chemistry: Homebrew Science |url=http://www.byo.com/stories/article/indices/18-brewing-science/853-hop-chemistry-homebrew-science |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202165456/https://byo.com/stories/article/indices/18-brewing-science/853-hop-chemistry-homebrew-science |archive-date=2 February 2010 |access-date=20 May 2012 |website=www.byo.com |publisher=Byo.com}}</ref>