Banner hops, bred from a seedling of Brewer’s Gold through open pollination in the early 1970s, faced challenges in the commercial market due to poor storability and mildew susceptibility. Despite its moderate alpha acids, good yield, and pleasant aroma, it did not perform well on the market. The first test plot was abandoned due to severe mildew problems. A subsequent 4-acre plot in Oregon near Mt. Angel also had to be discontinued due to the same issue.
In 1988, Anheuser Busch contracted a 300-acre commercial plot in Washington and 100 acres in Idaho for Banner. Still, brewing evaluations have yet to be conclusive. Like its half-sister USDA 21222 (Aquila), Banner was officially released in 1996 by Dr. Romanko at Parma, Idaho, who had selected it as Sel No. I 43-11. However, the variety was eliminated from further testing.
Usage: | Bittering |
Country of Origin: | United States |
Hop Growers Code: | BAN |
Where To Buy Banner Hops
Banner Flavor And Aroma
Banner is a bittering hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
spicy
grassy, vegetal
floral
Banner Hop Oil Breakdown
Hop oils can vary from year to year and farm to farm but based on our research, here are the typical values we have seen reported. This information comes from various hop farms, The Hop Aroma Compendium, and For The Love Of Hops.
Alpha Acid % (AA) Alpha acids are what is isomerized when boiling to create bitterness in beer. | 8.4% – 13% |
Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 5.3% – 8% |
Alpha-Beta Ratio This ratio of alpha acids to beta acids determines how quickly bitterness fades during aging. Lower ratios are common for aromatic varieties. | 1:1 – 2:1 |
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 34% |
Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 2.17mL |
Myrcene green, resinous | 66.4% |
Humulene woody, piney | 11.8% |
Caryophyllene woody | 7.7% |
Farnesene floral | Trace |
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | Data Not Available |
Hop Storage Index (HSI) The HSI indicates the percent of alpha and beta acids lost after 6 months of storage at room temperature (68°F or 20°C). | Data Not Available |
Hop Storage Index (HSI) Rating | Data Not Available |
Banner Hop Substitutions
Replacing one hop for another is seldom straightforward but sometimes you don’t have the right hop or the right quantity of hops for the beer you want to make. For those situations, we have made a comprehensive list of hops to substitute on brew day.
These substitutions aren’t perfect as hop chemistry is pretty complex.
We wanted to make this list of substitutions with varietals that are easy to find when possible. For Banner, we recommend substituting with the following hops:
Beer Styles
For the most part, any hop could have a place in just about any beer style. Based on popular beers, historical usage, and our own preferences, we would recommend using Banner for IPA, New England IPA, Pale Ale, Wheat Beer, Golden Ale. That being said, experiment and see what works best for you.
References
https://www.hopslist.com/
https://www.ars.usda.gov/
https://www.brewersassociation.org/
https://www.barthhaasx.com/
https://www.yakimachief.com/
Hieronymus, Stan. For The Love of Hops. Brewers Publications, 2012
The Hop Aroma Compendium. 2012