Discover a comprehensive catalog of hop cultivars developed or co-developed by Dr. John Henning. This collection blends traditional practices with modern brewing innovations, shaping the future of hop breeding.
Below, you'll find detailed cultivar information, a hop pedigree table, and a release timeline showcasing Dr. Henning's contributions.
Use the filters below to explore cultivars by sensory profiles, brewing applications, maturity, or release year. Adjust the dropdowns to find the cultivars that best fit your needs. Scroll down to dive deeper into the pedigree and history of these exceptional hops.
Description: BitterGold is a super-alpha cultivar selected for strong bittering performance and dependable field behavior, offering brewers efficient bitterness contribution while maintaining moderate resistance to key mildew pressures.
Primary Aromas: Citrus, Earthy, Spicy
Learn MoreDescription: Horizon is a dual-purpose hop with high alpha acids, clean bitterness potential, and moderate disease resistance, making it a dependable option for both kettle bittering and flavor support in balanced craft styles.
Primary Aromas: Floral, Citrus, Spicy
Learn MoreDescription: Mt. Rainier is an aroma hop with a balanced floral and citrus profile, ideal for versatile brewing applications.
Primary Aromas: Floral, Citrus, Herbal
Learn MoreDescription: Newport is a high-alpha cultivar developed for robust bittering performance with strong disease resistance, giving growers and brewers a practical option for consistent bitterness and production stability.
Primary Aromas: Citrus, Herbal, Earthy
Learn MoreDescription: Santiam is a noble-type hop developed for brewers seeking classic floral, earthy, and light citrus character with reliable agronomic performance in lager, pilsner, and pale ale production.
Primary Aromas: Earthy, Floral, Citrus
Learn MoreDescription: Sterling is a noble-type hop with a pleasant herbal and citrus aroma, suitable for European-style beers.
Primary Aromas: Floral, Citrus, Herbal
Learn MoreDescription: Teamaker is a unique hop with very low alpha acids and high beta acids, used primarily for herbal teas and non-alcoholic beverages.
Primary Aromas: Floral, Herbal, Mild
Learn MoreDescription: Thora is a highly aromatic hop cultivar defined by exceptionally high thiol levels—among the highest of any U.S.-produced variety—with tropical fruit aroma descriptors including passion fruit, orange, guava, and stone fruit. Primarily intended for use in hop-forward and hazy IPA styles.
Primary Aromas: passion fruit, orange, guava, stone fruit
Learn MoreDescription: TriplePearl is a high-yielding aroma hop known for its spicy and citrus-forward profile.
Primary Aromas: Spicy, Citrus, Herbal
Learn MoreDescription: Triumph is an aroma hop with a distinctive floral and citrus profile, well-suited for modern brewing styles.
Primary Aromas: Floral, Citrus, Stone Fruit
Learn MoreDescription: Vista is a high-yielding, seedless aroma hop with a unique flavor profile suited for hop-forward brewing styles. It exhibits strong citrus and tropical fruit flavors with apple/pear notes and has been highly favored in brewing trials.
Primary Aromas: Citrus, Tropical Fruit, Apple/Pear
Learn MoreDr. John Henning's hop breeding research bridges the past and future of hop cultivation. His work focuses on optimizing hops for modern brewing demands while respecting the lineage and heritage of traditional varieties. Below, you'll find detailed insights into hop parentage, release years, and the evolutionary contributions of each cultivar to the brewing industry. The timeline celebrates milestones in hop breeding, highlighting pivotal moments that shaped the varieties we use today.
Understanding hop parentage is crucial to grasping the evolution of brewing science. Each cultivar in the pedigree table represents a step forward in flavor, aroma, disease resistance, and brewing versatility. With parental lines sourced from some of the most iconic hop varieties worldwide, Dr. Henning's contributions showcase an intricate balance of innovation and tradition. Explore how foundational hops like Brewer's Gold and Fuggle have influenced contemporary cultivars through careful breeding.
| Cultivar | Parentage | Release Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewer's Gold | Wild Manitoba × Open Pollination | 1934 | Early foundational bittering hop; ancestor to many modern varieties. |
| Nugget | Brewer's Gold × USDA 63015M | 1983 | High alpha acid hop with excellent disease resistance. |
| Cascade | Fuggle × Serebrianker | 1972 | Pioneering aroma hop with citrus and floral character. |
| Sterling | Saazer 38 × USDA 21361M | 1990s | Saaz-like noble aroma with better disease resistance. |
| Willamette | Fuggle × USDA 56013M | 1976 | Mild and spicy aroma; versatile for brewing. |
| Horizon | USDA 65009 × German aroma male | 1997 | Dual-purpose hop with balanced alpha acids and aroma. |
| Liberty | Hallertauer Mittelfrueh × USDA 21381M | 1983 | Traditional German aroma hop replacement. |
| Ultra | Hallertauer Mittelfrueh × USDA 21397M | 1983 | Low alpha acid noble hop with mild aroma. |
| Mt. Hood | Hallertauer Mittelfrueh × USDA 19058M | 1989 | Hallertauer type with good powdery mildew resistance. |
| Santiam | Tettnanger × USDA 21618M | 1990s | Noble aroma; closely mimics Tettnanger with better yield. |
| Crystal | Hallertauer Mittelfrueh × USDA 21381M | 1983 | Mild and noble aroma; versatile brewing applications. |
| Newport | Hallertauer Magnum × USDA 58111M | 2002 | High alpha acid bittering hop with strong disease resistance. |
| Triumph | Nugget × USDA 21110M | 2018 | Floral and citrus aroma hop; high yield. |
| Teamaker | USDA 19105 × USDA 19046M | 2006 | Near-zero alpha acids; ideal for non-bitter brewing. |
| TriplePearl | Perle × Unknown Male | 2010 | Seedless cones with high aroma potential. |
| Thora | Wye Northdown × USDA-ARS 21327M | 2025 | Highly aromatic thiol-forward hop with exceptional tropical fruit character (passion fruit, orange, guava, stone fruit). Highest free-thiol levels of any U.S.-produced cultivar at time of release. Suited for IPA and hazy IPA styles. |
| Vista | Perle (tetraploid) × Unknown Diploid Male | 2021 | High-yielding seedless triploid aroma hop. Open-pollinated cross made in 2006; formerly experimental line 2006009-074. Large cones (6-8 cm) with citrus, tropical fruit, and apple/pear character. Suited for IPA and hazy IPA styles. |
The release timeline is a visual journey through the decades of Dr. Henning's hop breeding innovations. From the super-alpha acid properties of BitterGold in 1980 to the aroma-forward qualities of TriplePearl in 2010, each cultivar marks a leap in hop genetics and brewing potential. This timeline celebrates not only the hops but also the scientific milestones that made them possible, emphasizing Dr. Henning's lasting impact on the brewing community.
Scroll horizontally to explore the timeline →
1980
Brewing Applications: IPA, Pale Ale, Strong Ale
1990
Brewing Applications: Pilsner, Lager, Belgian Ale
1997
Brewing Applications: IPA, Pale Ale
1997
Brewing Applications: Lager, Pilsner, Pale Ale
2002
Brewing Applications: IPA, Pale Ale, Bitter
2004
Brewing Applications: Pale Ale, Lager, Blonde Ale
2006
Brewing Applications: Tea, Non-alcoholic Beverages
2010
Brewing Applications: Pale Ale, Lager, IPA
2018
Brewing Applications: IPA, Pale Ale, Lager
2021
Brewing Applications: IPA, Hazy IPA
2025
Brewing Applications: IPA, Hazy IPA