Finnish hops adapted well to climate conditions

Finnish hop varieties are fairly unique on a global scale. Some of them are also intriguing considering brewing. The long-term goal is to select the best varieties for cultivation considering their growth properties and brewing capabilities, according to studies conducted by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).

The hop varieties were discovered on the basis of information shared by regular people about hop varieties established in Finland, said a Luke press release.

More than 1,300 reports were received between 2014 and 2018, on the basis of which people were asked to send samples of leaves and cones for analysis. The goal is to study a total of 1,000 hop varieties.

Luke has studied the diversity of Finnish hops and also verified the hereditary uniqueness of the hops selected for further studies. Finnish hops have adapted well to our climate conditions: they flower early in order to produce a high yield.

“Finnish hops showed to be genetically authentic in the world. We found 260 unique ones what is surprisingly lot. Nobody expected that”, said senior scientist Lidija Bitz.

The suitability of Finnish hop varieties for brewing has also been studied. The most significant chemical compounds considering brewing were analysed from the cone samples sent by regular people.

“Fairly interesting hop varieties for brewing were discovered from the samples. Some of the hops resemble commercial varieties in terms of their aroma profiles”, said research scientist Juha-Matti Pihlava.

Luke has also studied experiences of farmers in the cultivation of hops and the ideas of brewers regarding the attractiveness of Finnish hops in brewing.

Hops are not cultivated widely in Finland. In 2016, the cultivated area was less than one hectare. However, the area tripled in 2017 and continued to increase in 2018.