A super-fragrant hop is taking the craft beer world by storm, particularly in the Pacific Northwest where it originated.
It’s called Krush, and it made its official debut during the recent Yakima Valley harvest.
In Astoria, Fort George Brewery, Buoy Beer and Obelisk Beer have released beers showcasing the hop.
Krush Architect, a Fort George collaboration with Ghost Town Brewing out of Oakland, Calif., was made with fresh Krush hops from Perrault Farms in Toppenish, Wash.
The result was a delicious, aromatic brew – and a gold medal at the 2024 Best of Craft Beer Awards.
Buoy recently unveiled Krush Hazy IPA at its downtown taproom, netting favorable reviews from beer fans.
“It’s mostly Krush and super-tropical,” said Trevor Bates, Buoy’s lead brewer.
What sets the hop apart is intense aromatic qualities that have been described as a “fruit salad.”
“Ripe mango, guava, a little bit of peach, ripe citrus, a little bit of creamy banana, or a vanilla note that kind of fills in the vanilla yogurt gap for fruit salad,” Jeff Daily, sensory manager at John I. Haas Inc., told a local TV station in August.
Haas is the hop-breeding company that joined forces with Yakima Chief Ranches to develop Krush, known previously as HBC 586. It’s intended for any type of beer, lagers included, not just IPAs.
The crop had been in the works as an experimental variety since 2007. Brewery feedback was almost universally glowing.
With success assured, the planted acreage quickly grew. Krush was officially released as a commercial brand this year. Expect the number of breweries using it to explode.
Daily called Krush “the hop of the future” because it maintains the same intense aromas even in pellet form after being kilned.
In addition to Krush Architect, Fort George has added the hop to other beers, including Magnetic Fields, an IPA with an ever-evolving recipe.
Buoy didn’t just use Krush in its new IPA. The brewery collaborated directly with Yakima Chief.
Obelisk uses Krush in its popular Sculpture Garden, a West Coast IPA.
Co-owner and brewer Dave Coyne said he’s actually been working with the hop for years, back when it was known only by a number.
“Great hop,” Coyne said. “Love it.”
Brewers at Fort George fell in love with HBC 586 long before it became a major commercial crop with a catchy name, according to marketing director Brian Bovenizer.
“We’ve been fans of it for a while,” he said. “A lot of us thought they’d never give it a name. It’s almost comical how long it took.”
