Feral Hops for B.C.’s Microbrewing Industry

The most popular varietals of hops for beer making have historically been patented in the United States. Use of these varietals can be cost-prohibitive for Canadian microbreweries. As such, Langara College researchers embarked on a journey to discover a homegrown solution to this problem.

Supported by total funding of $217,000, this project expands on earlier research that led to the discovery of 50 varietals of feral hops growing in British Columbia’s lower mainland. Of the 50, ten were found to have interesting chemical profiles and aromas. These were then planted and eventually evaluated for chemical profile, disease resistance, and yield.

Further work includes determining resistance specifically to downy mildew and planting in both British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. The goal is to eventually have at least one commercially viable new hop varietal that could be used in the Canadian microbrewing industry.