Cashmere Hops

Cashmere stands as an incredibly successful, modern triumph of American public hop breeding that has rapidly become a favorite for contemporary, juice-forward beer styles. Developed at Washington State University along with United States Department of Agriculture and officially released to the brewing community in 2013, this brilliant dual-purpose cultivar was created by crossing a classic, expressive Cascade female with a vigorous male line derived from robust Northern Brewer germplasm. Engineered to elevate the baseline performance of its maternal ancestry, Cashmere delivers an amplified alpha acid yield alongside an extraordinarily rich concentration of essential oils—most notably carrying nearly double the native humulene fraction found in standard Cascade. This structural makeup provides craft brewers with a versatile, high-impact ingredient that truly shines in late-boil, whirlpool, and dry-hop additions, while its exotic tropical intensity beautifully complements everything from hazy IPAs to sour, wild, and funky ales.

The sensory architecture of Cashmere provides a remarkably silky, complex tapestry of tropical sweetness and refined botanical brightness that completely sidesteps any sharp resinous burn or heavy onion-garlic notes. The bouquet opens with an explosive, signature top layer defined by ripe honeydew melon, bright lemon-lime citrus zest, and fleshy, sun-ripened peaches. This juicy, fruit-forward canopy transitions elegantly into a delicate middle section showcasing faint hints of wild red berries and crushed coconut water, all anchored by a soft, comforting baseline of sweet culinary thyme/[tag], fresh-cut [tag]pine, and noble wood spices. Cashmere creates an exceptionally smooth, well-integrated perfume that deepens when exposed to active yeast biotransformation during fermentation, yielding an elegant, refreshing finish that perfectly frames a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel.