Fuggles Hops
Famous hop first found growing in Horsmonden
The Fuggle was first propagated in Kent by Mr. Richard Fuggle of Brenchley in 1875, the plant having first been noticed in about 1861, growing in Horsmonden.
The Fuggle is said to have originated from a seed which was thrown out with some crumbs from a hop picking dinner basket on the farm of Mr. George Stace Moore of Horsmonden Kent in 1861.
This information was recorded by Professor J Percival in a 1901 article for the Royal Agricultural Society and extracted from correspondence between Mr John Larkin of Horsmonden and Mr W J Noakes of Goudhurst. It states that Mr Richard Fuggle was of Fowle Hall, Brenchley.
From this discovery, Fuggles became the most widely grown hop in England – in 1949, it made up 78% of the English hop acreage, until Verticillium Wilt made growth impossible in much of Kent and Sussex. Now Fuggles represents only about 9% of the English crop, being grown chiefly in the West Midlands.
Fuggle Hop
The Fuggle hop has a wonderful, delicate, minty, grassy and slightly floral aroma and became the most widely grown hop in England (in 1949, in made up 78% of the English hop acreage) until Verticillium wilt made growth almost impossible in Kent and Sussex. Now it represents only about 9% of the English crop, being grown chiefly in the West Midlands.
Brewing Character
Perhaps the most famous and revered of English hops, Fuggle has a typical English flavour, frequently blended with Goldings to improve ‘drinkability’ of the beer, and adding roundness and fullness to the palate. This robust hop contributes all the essential characteristics of flavour, aroma and balanced bitterness to ales, particularly as its relatively low alpha acid content requires a high hopping rate to achieve desired bitterness levels. Sometimes used as a distinctive dry hop.
Brewing Uses
- Pellets – Yes
- Extracts – No
- Dry Hopping – Yes
- Essential oil/emulsion – Yes
- Kettle hop – Yes
Fuggle today
Today Fuggle is grown in Slovenia as Styrian Goldings and in the USA as Oregon Fuggle and reputedly as US Tettenang. In the UK, it is susceptible to wilt and has been produced in lower volumes in recent years.