Whitbread Golding Hops

Whitbread Golding Variety (WGV) hops, first selected in 1911 by hop grower Edward Albert White, are a result of open pollinated Bate's Brewer. The hop's current name was coined after the Whitbread Brewing Company acquired the farm on which it was raised. Officially released for production in 1953, WGV was hailed as a savior variety by growers in Kent in the 1950s due to its resistance to Verticillium Wilt, a disease that had devastated Golding and Fuggle crops in the region.

WGV is a dual-purpose hop that can be used in all hop additions throughout the brewing process. It has a robust and slightly sweet, hoppy flavor, with fragrantly woodsy overtones of fresh garden herbs and green fruit. The hop's aroma profile is described as thick creamy caramel, bitter almond, tea-like overtones, and woody-aromatic bergamot. Sweet notes also play a key role, including honeydew melon, fig, dried fruit, and nuances of Almdudler (herbal lemonade) and port lightly underscored by a spicy liquorice aroma. It's commonly used in brewing Scottish Ale, Bitter, Pale Ale, Marzen, and Amber Ale.