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USDA-ARS Releases New High-Yielding, Seedless Aroma Hop Variety “Vista”

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Technical Brewing Projects Director

Chuck joined the Brewers Association staff in 2013 after a long career as a craft brewer. He opened Tennessee’s first brewpub, Boscos, in 1992. As an owner and director of brewery operations for Boscos Brewing Company, he opened additional brewpubs in Memphis, Nashville, and Little Rock, Arkansas. In 2007, Chuck opened and operated Ghost River Brewing in Memphis. He has served as chair of the Association of Brewers Board of Advisors, chair of the Association of Brewers Board of Directors, and was a member of the first Board of Directors for the Brewers Association. In his capacity as technical brewing projects manager, Chuck works with the Technical Committee and the safety, sustainability, quality, draught beer quality, engineering, and supply chain subcommittees to encourage and facilitate best practices in all phases of Brewers Association members' brewery operations.

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The United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has officially released a new public hop variety. The hop formerly known as USDA-ARS experimental line 2006009-074 has been renamed “Vista.”

Vista joins Triumph, released in 2019, as the most recent public hop variety released from the USDA-ARS research station in Corvallis, Oregon. According to Judy Thoet, Technical Director at the Hop Research Council (HRC), “Vista is the result of a 2006 open pollinated cross by Dr. John Henning (ARS hop geneticist at the Corvallis station) between the tetrapolid Perle female and an unknown diploid male. The resulting triploid line, Vista, was recognized early on as a vigorous plant with superior agronomic traits and unique aroma characteristics.”

Vista consistently received favorable reviews during HopSource sensory analysis conducted by the Brewers Association. The hop was entered into the HRC Elite Line Growout Program to ensure adequate clean plant material for brewing trials. Vista also received favorable reviews in commercial trials. Thoet reports how “brewers have commented that this line ‘plays well in the sandbox’ with some of the big hop varieties” where “it displays aromas of gooseberry, white wine, white peach, honeydew and papaya.” Steve Luke, Head Brewer and Founder of Cloudburst Brewing, winner of the 1,001–2,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year award at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival®, commented “We used Vista in a pale ale all the way through, flavor additions in the kettle and whirlpool, and in the dry hop. I remember it having notes of Meyer lemon, ruby red grapefruit, and bright pine. We’d love to brew with it again.”

Attendees at the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference® in Minneapolis, Minnesota will have the opportunity to evaluate Vista in a seminar led by breeder John Henning and delegates of the Hop Growers of America, and later sample beers brewed with Vista at the Hop Growers of America booth in the BrewExpo America® trade show. As with any new hop variety, only limited quantities from the 2021 crop are currently available.

To read the full USDA-ARS release notice of Vista, please visit the HRC website.

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Link to author biography
Technical Brewing Projects Director

Chuck joined the Brewers Association staff in 2013 after a long career as a craft brewer. He opened Tennessee’s first brewpub, Boscos, in 1992. As an owner and director of brewery operations for Boscos Brewing Company, he opened additional brewpubs in Memphis, Nashville, and Little Rock, Arkansas. In 2007, Chuck opened and operated Ghost River Brewing in Memphis. He has served as chair of the Association of Brewers Board of Advisors, chair of the Association of Brewers Board of Directors, and was a member of the first Board of Directors for the Brewers Association. In his capacity as technical brewing projects manager, Chuck works with the Technical Committee and the safety, sustainability, quality, draught beer quality, engineering, and supply chain subcommittees to encourage and facilitate best practices in all phases of Brewers Association members' brewery operations.

See Chuck Skypeck's Articles