LIBERTY AND CRYSTAL - 2 NEW US-DEVELOPED AROMA HOPS

Liberty and Crystal, two triploid female half-sister selections with l argely German Hallertauer mittelfruh ancestry were found to be suitabl e for commercial production in hop growing areas in Washington and Ore gon but not in southern Idaho. Their yield potential is substantially higher than that of Hallertauer mittelfruh and other European aroma ho ps currently being imported into the United States. Liberty's soft res in and essential oil content are similar to that of Hallertauer mittel fruh, while Crystal's soft resin composition more closely resembles th at of the Czech aroma hop Saazer. In contrast to Saazer, however, Crys tal contains no farnesene in its essential oil. Production of Liberty has increased moderately in Washington and Oregon since its public rel ease, primarily to replace certain imported aroma hops. Crystal, relea sed in 1993, is of particular interest to small brewers for production of highly aromatic specialty beers.