Fuggle H Hops: Profile & Substitutions
Description
Fuggle H stands as a historic, American-grown tribute to England's iconic nineteenth-century landrace, emerging from a comprehensive 1961 United States Department of Agriculture mass selection initiative conducted in Corvallis, Oregon. Officially introduced to the commercial market in 1972, this variety was engineered as an optimized, higher-yielding adaptation of original British stock, designed to give Pacific Northwest farmers a robust domestic alternative while preserving the hallmark sensory qualities of traditional ales. For decades, it served as a critical foundation for both early craft pioneers and major regional breweries seeking a highly stable, authentic European profile. While its commercial acreage has steadily declined over the years due to the relentless rise of high-intensity modern triploids, Fuggle H remains a highly respected, pure expression of old-school brewing heritage that delivers exceptional rustic authenticity.
The profile of Fuggle H delivers a deepened, structurally amplified version of the classic European noble character, showcasing an incredibly rich, old-world sensory experience. It opens with an unmistakable, forward top-note of damp autumn soil and rich forest floor, closely intertwined with a clean, rustic wood[tag]iness reminiscent of aged [tag]cedar/[tag] and fresh [tag]wood shavings. This intense, grounding earthiness is beautifully softened by subtle secondary undertones of sweet, dark field fruits and a delicate, tea-like floral spice. Thanks to an essential oil ceiling that tracks higher than original English Fuggle selections, its aromatic presence is notably robust and resilient, allowing it to seamlessly integrate into heavy, malt-forward beer styles and round out the edges of dark roasted grains without getting lost in the mix.
At A Glance
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Profile
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Robust Wet Wood, Rich Autumn Earth, Sweet Fruit Tones, Delicate Floral Muted Spice |
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Purpose
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Aroma |
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Alpha Acid
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4.1 - 7.7% |
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Substitutes
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East Kent Golding, Fuggle, Styrian Golding, Willamette |
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Pairs with
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Cascade (to craft a beautiful/transitional Anglo-American hybrid pale ale profile blending bright grapefruit citrus with rich English earth), East Kent Golding (to introduce a highly polished/sweet honeyed floral element over Fuggle H's deep woody-earth baseline), Target (to establish a firm/clean/high-alpha bittering foundation that allows Fuggle H's delicate late-addition fruit and spice notes to shine) |
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Beer Styles
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Extra Special Bitter, English Pale Ale, Robust Porter, Sweet/Oatmeal Stout, English Brown Ale |
General Information
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Country
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United States |
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Aliases
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PI 558664, USDA 48209 |
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Storage Stability
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Retains 73% alpha acid |
Brewing Chemistry (Acids & Oils)
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Alpha Acid
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4.1 - 7.7% |
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Beta Acid
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1.5 - 3.9% |
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Cohumulone
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25.0 - 32.0% |
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Total Oil
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0.4 - 1.9 ml/100g |
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Myrcene
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40.0 - 50.0% |
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Humulene
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20.0 - 26.0% |
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Caryophyllene
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6.0 - 10.0% |
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Farnesene
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4.1% |
Growth & Cultivation
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Yield
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1,000 - 1,400 lbs/acre |
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Maturity
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Early Season |
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Resistant
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Downy Mildew |
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Tolerant
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Exhibits good adaptability to alkaline soils and exhibits moderate tolerance to extreme heat when properly irrigated. |
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Growth Rate
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Poor to Moderate |
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Cones
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Small to medium, loose to moderately compact, and ovate. |
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Ease of Harvest
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No definitive data available; however, classic Fuggle structure handles mechanical picking reasonabl |
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Sex
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Female |
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Leaf Color
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Medium Green |
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Side Arm Length
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Notably Short |
Last Updated
Source(s)
Hops Catalog