East Kent Golding hops are a variety of English aroma hops that were first introduced in 1790 and are grown exclusively in East Kent, England. They were bred from a semi-wild Canterbury Whitebine variety and are known for their gentle aromas of spice, honey, and citrus and their earthy and mildly bittering flavor profile.
East Kent Golding hops are considered a premium appellation and are used in hoppy ales from the British Isles, such as IPA, pale ale, and bitter, as well as in Scottish and other darker, maltier ales. They are often dry-hopped, whirlpooled, or added late in the boil for a subtle flavor and aroma addition.
East Kent Golding hops received Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status from the European Commission in 2013.
Usage: | Aroma |
Country of Origin: | United Kingdom |
Hop Growers Code: | EKG |
Where To Buy East Kent Goldings Hops
East Kent Goldings Flavor And Aroma
East Kent Goldings is an aroma hop that is often described to have the following aroma characteristics:
spice
citrus
lavender
East Kent Goldings 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. | 4.5% – 6.5% |
Beta Acid % Beta acids are what give hops their more aroma and flavor compounds. | 1.9% – 2.8% |
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 – 3:1 |
Co-Humulone as a % of Alpha Higher numbers are said to impart a harsher bitterness. | 30% – 34% |
Total Oils (mL/100g) With more total oils, typically comes a more complex hop profile but these are highly volatile compounds. | 0.4mL – 0.8mL |
Myrcene green, resinous | 18% – 28% |
Humulene woody, piney | 34% – 45% |
Caryophyllene woody | 12% – 17% |
Farnesene floral | 0% – 1% |
Other Oils: Includes beta-ionine, beta-pinene, limonene, linalool, geranoil & selinene | 8% – 21% |
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). | Retains 78% alpha acid after 6 months storage at 20ºC (68ºF). |
Hop Storage Index (HSI) Rating | Great |
East Kent Goldings 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 East Kent Goldings, 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 East Kent Goldings 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