The experimental hop variety, formerly known as HBC 692, has been released commercially under the proprietary name Talus™.

Developed by the Hop Breeding Company (HBC), a joint venture between Yakima Chief Ranches LLC and John I. Haas Inc., it is the latest creation from HBC’s advanced breeding program, led by breeders Michael Ferguson of John I. Haas and Jason Perrault of Yakima Chief Ranches.

The company says Talus represents a continuation of HBC’s exploration of novel genetics with the goal of deriving new flavors and aromas not traditionally available in hops.

“Talus brand HBC 692 has the distinction of being exceptionally unique yet appealing and very translatable in beer. Moreover, its complexity lends itself to functionality in the brewing process alone or in combination with other hops. Talus checks a lot of boxes,” hop breeder Jason Perrault said in a statement announcing the release.

Talus’ flavour profile draws from its roots as a cultivated daughter of Sabro® brand HBC 438 with its neomexicanus heritage bred with a local Pacific Northwest hop through open pollination.

The hop specification sheet says Talus delivers big aromas of pink grapefruit, citrus rinds, dried roses, pine resin, tropical fruits and sage that remain throughout the brewing process.

Brewer DJ McCready from Mountain Culture Beer Co, who recently trialled the hop, agrees saying its an interesting hop.

“It had an interestesting description and the hop really lived up to that,” he told Brews News.

“It showed a mix of characters that reminded me of hops that brewers are used to using like Cascade, which is the classic grapefruit hop.

“It was like that on steroids with really, really punchy grapefruit but also had some herbal almost woody dankness to it.”

McCready recently made a single hop West Coast IPA, simply named 692 after the hop.

“Most of the beers that we make are a hop blend and I prefer to blend hops, it’s like cooking with spices – spices interact better in the presence of another spice and I feel the same with hops in beer,” he said.

“Sometimes doing single hop beers can be a little one-dimensional – for good reason. This was one of the first beers we have done that was single hop and it was pretty interesting.

“The characteristics we were getting were complex for having one hop type in there,” McCready said

“The hoppiness almost finished sweet which is something we don’t really get in our West Coast IPAs which are pretty dry finishing.

“692 gave it an almost candy-sweet finish which I thought was pretty cool for a high alpha, resinous dank hop.

“We will definitely use it again and play around with it. I think it’s an awesome US pale ale or West Coast IPA hop, and I’d defintiey use it again in those types of beers.”

Talus joins a growing selection of branded HBC hops, including Citra® brand HBC 394, Mosaic® brand HBC 369, Sabro® brand HBC 438, Ekuanot® brand HBC 366, Pahto™ brand HBC 682 and Loral® brand HBC 291.

Talus is avalable in Australia through Cryer Malt and also Hop Products Australia.

Radio Brews News has discussed hop breeding programs with Jason Perrault previously, you can listen to one conversation below, or search through our archives to learn more about the developemnt of hops and hop breeding.