Sunshine Hops: Profile & Substitutions

Description

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.

Substitution Tip

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

Discovery Tags

Flavor/Aroma
Grapefruit Grassy Herbal Lemon Zest
Variety Name
Comet East Kent Golding First Gold Fuggle Mosaic Styrian Golding
Beer Style
English India Pale Ale Golden Ale Hazy Pale Ale Pale Ale
Usage
Aroma
Origin
United Kingdom
Breeding/Supplier
Wye College
Last Updated
  • 2026-03-25 17:06:20
Source(s)

Hops Catalog

Navigating This Profile
  • The Stats: Use the Purpose and Alpha % to understand the hop's bitterness and aromatic strength.
  • Discovery Tags: Scroll down to find clickable tags for Flavor, Origin, and Usage.
  • The Network: Click any tag (like #Citrus or #New Zealand) to instantly view every other hop in our catalog that shares that trait.
Discovery Tag Spotlight

  • #Pine (West Coast Classic)

    Kick off the weekend with a classic. Think forest floors and fresh resin. These hops provide that iconic, "crispy" evergreen aroma that defined the original American IPA. Explore #Pine Hops!
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Did you know?
  • Dwarf variety hops grow shorter in height than traditional varieties but, importantly, produce the same yield. This combination makes harvest easier.
Explanations
  • Storage: is based on the percentage of alpha acids remaining after 6 months at 20*F.
  • Oil composition percetages are based on the total percentage of oil in the hop. Example: 10 - 20% means that for the specific oil it is 10 - 20% of the overall oil make up.