Sunshine Hops
AromaAlpha 6.7 - 8.2%United Kingdom
Flavor & aroma
Sunshine is a historic English aroma variety that holds a critical, if often overlooked, place in the lineage of modern hop breeding. Developed by the legendary Professor E.S. Salmon at Wye College during the 1920s and early 1930s, Sunshine was the result of a complex open-pollination process involving a Golding-class female and, crucially, wild American genetics.
Sunshine is instantly recognizable in the field by its brilliant, neon-yellow leaves—a striking genetic trait it passed down to its famous offspring, Comet. While its low commercial yields kept it from becoming a 20th-century staple, it remains a prized "genetic treasure." It serves as the definitive bridge between traditional English elegance and the aggressive, citrus-forward profiles that would eventually ignite the American craft beer revolution decades later.
If you can't find Sunshine, the best alternatives are Comet, First Gold, or Styrian Golding.
At A Glance
| Profile | Grapefruit, Lemon Zest, Grassy, Herbal |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Aroma |
| Alpha Acid | 6.7 - 8.2% |
| Substitutes | Comet, First Gold, Styrian Golding |
| Pairs with | East Kent Golding (to ground it in tradition), Fuggle (for a balanced English Pale), Mosaic® (for tropical depth) |
| Beer Styles | English India Pale Ale, Pale Ale, Golden Ale, Hazy Pale Ale |
General Information
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Alias | USDA 21281 |
| Storage Stability | Retains 50% alpha acid. |
Brewing Chemistry (Acids & Oils)
| Alpha Acid | 6.7 - 8.2% |
|---|---|
| Beta Acid | 2.1 - 3.1% |
| Cohumulone | 27.0 - 34.0% |
| Total Oil | 0.9 - 1.9 ml/100g |
| Myrcene | 40.0 - 60.0% |
| Humulene | 0.9 - 3.1% |
| Caryophyllene | 4.5 - 4.6% |
| Farnesene | < 1.0% |
Growth & Cultivation
| Yield | 500 - 800 lbs/acre |
|---|---|
| Maturity | Early to Mid-season |
| Resistant | Downy mildew (moderate) |
| Susceptible | Powdery Mildew |
| Growth Rate | Moderate to high |
| Cones | Medium-sized, often appearing lighter in color due to the plant's overall yellow pigment |
| Ease of Harvest | Good; the bines are manageable, though the low cone density requires more effort per acre |
| Sex | Female |
| Leaf Color | Distinctive lemon-yellow to light green |
| Side Arm Length | 12 - 20 inches |
- 2026-03-25 23:06:20