YAKIMA, WASHINGTON, August 31, 2018 – The Hop Breeding Company (HBC) is pleased to announce the release of Pahto™, its first high-alpha bittering hop. Many growers and brewers are already quite familiar with this hop, which until now has gone by its varietal name HBC 682. But with more than 1700 acres in the ground for 2018, it was time that this hop received a brand name and formal introduction into the brewing community.
The HBC is well-known for creating powerhouse aroma hops such as Citra® brand HBC 394, Mosaic® brand HBC 369, and the recently-released Sabro™ brand HBC 438. The addition of Pahto nicely rounds out the HBC portfolio by providing brewers with a high-alpha hop that delivers a smooth bittering profile with mild, pleasant aromatics. The aroma profile of the hop cone is described as herbal, earthy, and floral. When used as a bittering hop, Pahto provides a very neutral flavor and a pleasant bitterness to the beer.
Pahto is a “super high alpha” hop that growers love because it is late-maturing and resistant to powdery and downy mildew. When used as an early-kettle addition, Pahto consistently delivers a clean canvass of bitterness that can be used for a wide variety of beer styles.