Bravo^™ Hops

Commercially released in 2006 by the Hopsteiner breeding program under the experimental designation 99M4/002, Bravo^™ is a high-alpha proprietary cultivar that has become a vital workhorse in American craft recipe design. Developed as a second-generation descendant of the classic super-alpha variety Zeus, alongside parents 98004 and USDA 19058m, it was bred to provide an exceptionally clean bittering profile while introducing bright, modern aromatics. Agronomically, Bravo^™ is an absolute powerhouse performer, showcasing outstanding vigor, rapid spring growth, and great natural resistance to common Pacific Northwest hop diseases. The bines deliver high, uniform yields of dense, medium-sized cones overflowing with rich, bright yellow lupulin, making it a foundational favorite for major breweries globally.

The sensory profile of Bravo^™ is a beautifully bright, polished celebration of rich orchard fruits and sweet citrus that excels at rounding out sharp edges in a blend. The bouquet opens with a dominant, front-forward top note of candied orange zest, juicy ruby [/tag]grapefruit[/tag], and sweet mandarin orange. This vibrant citrus canopy seamlessly layers over a luscious mid-palate of ripe yellow plums, sweet red apples, and soft hints of white floral blossoms. Grounding this fruit-forward display is a smooth, sophisticated baseline of clean forest pine sap, light cedar, and a touch of rustic earthy spice. Thanks to an essential oil profile balanced by low levels of harsh cohumulone, late-kettle, whirlpool, or dry-hop additions infuse a remarkably smooth lime, fruit, and sweet brightness that entirely avoids the tire-rubber or aggressive, sulfurous onion notes common in older high-alpha selections.