Items found matching the tag "mild"
Mathon is a venerable cornerstone of English brewing heritage, representing one of the original and most respected clones of the Golding family. Originally discovered and grown in the parish of Mathon in Worcestershire, this variety is so closely related to the Canterbury Whitebine that the two are botanically indistinguishable. Tracing its roots back to the late 18th century, Mathon has long been prized by brewers for its refined, "noble" character, offering a genuine connection to the historical flavors of the British Empire’s greatest ales. It is a slow-maturing, elegant cultivar that prioritizes aromatic subtlety and brewing finesse over raw bittering power—a "brewer's hop" in the truest sense. The sensory profile of Mathon is a sophisticated and gentle arrangement of sweet honey, meadow flowers, and delicate spice. It leads with a primary, "English-garden" bouquet of dried lavender and herbal tea, followed by a sophisticated secondary layer of earthy woodiness and a hint of caramelized lemon. As the profile develops, brewers will find a soft, "creamy" bitterness and lingering notes of wildflower honey that integrate beautifully with rich, bready malts. Thanks to its balanced oil composition and traditional Golding pedigree, Mathon delivers a refined, non-aggressive bitterness and a smooth, polished finish.
Sussex is a fascinating "chance find" that proves nature is sometimes the best hop breeder. Discovered in 2005 by Peter Cyster on the Gate Court farm in Northiam, a site that has been cultivating hops since at least 1900, this variety was literally plucked from a hedgerow. While most hops are the result of rigorous laboratory crosses, Sussex is believed to be a unique, open-pollinated dwarf hop that emerged wildly in the English countryside. Propagated by Cyster after he noticed its promising growth habits, Sussex has become a celebrated "terroir" hop. It represents the historic growing conditions of Southern England so perfectly that it was famously championed by Harvey’s Brewery for their "Sussex Wild Hop" series. It is a vigorous, dwarf-habit plant that tells a story of traditional brewing revived through a lucky discovery in the brambles.