Simcoe hybrid non-proprietary hop

[rexbanner]

I swear I remember reading somewhere that there is going to be a hop similar to Simcoe, possibly a hybrid, available to the general public. Can anyone confirm this? It's really frustrating being able to grow everything yourself except for the single best IPA hop.

 

[rhamilton]

Well Simcoe is locked down via patents so you won't be getting them anytime soon -- or any hybrids. Some people say Summit it a good substitute for Simcoe -- it was patented in 2007 but rhizomes have been sold to the public. Maybe that's the one you heard about?

 

[alexdagrate]

Horizon seems to have a similar cohumulone to alpha acid ratio, anyone see similarities those two varieties?

I know Horizon rhizomes are available to the public, but I've never used them myself.

 

[Denny]

Horizon is nothing like Simcoe.

 

[alexdagrate]

Yeah, I should have figured that those two numbers alone wouldn't indicate similarities.

Especially since sources like the wiki describe Horizon as having "extremely clean, subtle bitterness," which certainly doesn't describe Simcoe...

 

[rexbanner]

Well Simcoe is locked down via patents so you won't be getting them anytime soon -- or any hybrids. Some people say Summit it a good substitute for Simcoe -- it was patented in 2007 but rhizomes have been sold to the public. Maybe that's the one you heard about?

I'm pretty sure no hops are patented, they just don't release them to the public. I've never brewed with Summit but I don't think anything comes close to Simcoe, I've brewed a lottttt of single hop IPAs and Simcoe was always the best, hands down.

 

[rhamilton]

I'm pretty sure no hops are patented, they just don't release them to the public. I've never brewed with Summit but I don't think anything comes close to Simcoe, I've brewed a lottttt of single hop IPAs and Simcoe was always the best, hands down.

I've gotten sick of Simcoe recently -- drink enough of it and it'll get boring.

And hops are patented all the time.

Patent for YCR Accession #14 AKA 'Simcoe'

In fact the PP### prefix is reserved just for patented plants

Generally if the hop name is followed by the 'TM' / Trademark symbol, the trademark is attached to a patented hop -- and usually is not available in rhizome form.

 

[pm5k00]

Well Simcoe is locked down via patents so you won't be getting them anytime soon -- or any hybrids. Some people say Summit it a good substitute for Simcoe -- it was patented in 2007 but rhizomes have been sold to the public. Maybe that's the one you heard about?

I love Summit, and don't care for Simcoe, so I don't find them to be similar at all.

Some summit rhizomes did get sold from Willamette Valley Hops but they stopped when they realized that it wasn't legal to sell them as the are proprietary and trademarked.

 

[rexbanner]

I've gotten sick of Simcoe recently -- drink enough of it and it'll get boring.

And hops are patented all the time.

Patent for YCR Accession #14 AKA 'Simcoe'

In fact the PP### prefix is reserved just for patented plants

Generally if the hop name is followed by the 'TM' / Trademark symbol, the trademark is attached to a patented hop -- and usually is not available in rhizome form.

Seems kind of silly that you can patent a plant. I could at least see it with a GMO, but patenting a new cultivar seems like a stretch. Of course, I understand the immense amount of effort that goes into developing a new hop strain, so I see why it's necessary, otherwise no one would make 'em. Mostly, I'm just bitter that I can't get Simcoe. Correct me if I'm wrong, though, but the main method these companies use to protect their investment is keeping a tight leash on their rhizomes, right? Otherwise someone could steal a Simcoe and either grow it themselves or just cross it with something else if concerned about possible lawsuits.

These new strains are reallllly good, which is either a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. While it is nice that bigger breweries can get enough Nelson Sauvin to make Dig or Nelson Imperial IPA (great beers if you haven't had them) I can't imagine smaller guys can really afford to get them or have access to a lot.

 

[29thfloor]

Maybe this is what you're thinking of?
http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/products/HBC342-Experimental-%2d-1oz.-Pellets-Hops.html

I dont know how similar it is to Simcoe but here's the description:

From the good Folks at the Hop Breeding Company, the same folks that brought us Citra (Citra is HBC394), Simcoe, Palisade, Ahtanum, Warrior etc., comes a brand new hop experiment. HBC 342. We have been chosen as one of the few shops to test market this, as yet unnamed hop. Because this is a test marketing, we ask that anyone who uses it to please leave feedback here on this product page.

Usage: High Alpha Aroma
Description: HBC 342 is a high alpha aroma variety bred by The Hop Breeding Company. It has been selected for its high alpha and pleasant aroma.

Despite its high alpha levels, brewers have responded favorably to HBC 342’s aromatic qualities describing the aroma as mild, pleasant, citrusy and watermelon.

Typical Beer Styles: American pale, amber, IPA
Possible Substitutions: ?????

Typical Alpha Acid: 12 - 14%

 

[SPLASTiK]

Correct me if I'm wrong, though, but the main method these companies use to protect their investment is keeping a tight leash on their rhizomes, right?

Yep. Only a couple farms grow Simcoe and they don't really have plans to give it up as long as they can get the funding to expanding acreage every year.

I've walked through the Simcoe bines... they don't mark the variety in the field so you'd really need to do your homework if you were going to do something shady.

 

[hodge]

Maybe this is what you're thinking of?
http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/products/HBC342-Experimental-%2d-1oz.-Pellets-Hops.html

I dont know how similar it is to Simcoe but here's the description:

From the good Folks at the Hop Breeding Company, the same folks that brought us Citra (Citra is HBC394), Simcoe, Palisade, Ahtanum, Warrior etc., comes a brand new hop experiment. HBC 342. We have been chosen as one of the few shops to test market this, as yet unnamed hop. Because this is a test marketing, we ask that anyone who uses it to please leave feedback here on this product page.

Usage: High Alpha Aroma
Description: HBC 342 is a high alpha aroma variety bred by The Hop Breeding Company. It has been selected for its high alpha and pleasant aroma.

Despite its high alpha levels, brewers have responded favorably to HBC 342’s aromatic qualities describing the aroma as mild, pleasant, citrusy and watermelon.

Typical Beer Styles: American pale, amber, IPA
Possible Substitutions: ?????

Typical Alpha Acid: 12 - 14%

Just a little more to add from Zymurgy about HBC 342:

Pedigree: Open Pollination
Aroma: Citrus, Pineapple, Melon
Total Oils: 1.0-1.5
Beta: 4.5-5.5

Interestingly enough, another variety labeled HBC 369 has a pedigree listed as 50% Simcoe, 25% Nugget. The aroma description reads as: complex, floral, earthy, citrus, fruity-tropical, blueberry.

 

[dinnerstick]

i know it's not exactly a walk in the park but plant tissue culture in the right hands is not that tricky, if you know someone who knows someone who has a laminar flow hood, autoclave, and sigma catalog for example (you need the plant hormones auxin and cytokinin which are readily available), then a little bit of fresh leaf material can be turned into new plants. there are protocols online. any orchid breeders should be able to do this easily.

 

[Brewskii]

Isn't this like the Monsanto thing where you get a visit from the guys in the dark suits at 8:00 at night and then become a penniless former shell of yourself a few months later?

Maybe the Simcoe people have a more descreet legal department.

The movie " king corn " freaked me out