Hop Genotypes Research Articles

An affordable and convenient diagnostic marker to identify male and female hop plants.

Hop production utilizes exclusively female plants, whereas male plants only serve to generate novel variation within breeding programs through crossing. Currently, hop lacks a rapid and accurate diagnostic marker to determine whether plants are male or female. Without a diagnostic marker, breeding programs may take 1-2 years to determine the sex of new seedlings. Previous research on sex-linked markers was restricted to specific populations or breeding programs and therefore had limited transferability or suffered from low scalability. A large collection of 765 hop genotypes with known sex phenotypes, genotyping-by-sequencing, and genome-wide association mapping revealed a highly significant marker on the sex chromosome (LOD score = 208.7) that predicted sex within our population with 96.2% accuracy. In this study, we developed a PCR allele competitive extension (PACE) assay for the diagnostic SNP and tested three quick DNA extraction methodologies for rapid, high-throughput genotyping. Additionally, the marker was validated in a separate population of 94 individuals from 15 families from the USDA-ARS hop breeding program in Prosser, WA with 96% accuracy. This diagnostic marker is located in a gene predicted to encode the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor protein, a family of proteins that have been previously implicated in male sterility in a variety of plant species, which may indicate a role in determining hop sex. The marker is diagnostic, accurate, affordable, and highly scalable and has the potential to improve efficiency in hop breeding.

Drought-tolerant hop genotypes – A promising solution to the problem of climate change for the hop industry?

Climate change can negatively influence hop yield and its quality. Cultivation areas limited by the prohibition of using water from small water sources are most at risk. In order to prevent these areas from completely disappearing in the future, planting hops with varieties or genotypes tolerant to drought could be a promising solution. Therefore, Czech hop breeding targets drought-tolerant genotypes with high crop yield and stability of quantitative and qualitative parameters which will also be well-usable in the Czech brewing industry. Twelve promising genotypes (5165 (Uran), 5194, 5304, 5348, 5398, 5432, 5461, 5464, 5465, 5646, 5669, and 5693) were selected after measurement of their physiological parameters and their basic chemical and sensorial properties were determined. Simultaneously, they were assessed from the point of view of brewing quality using sensory and chemical analysis using a brewing test. For this purpose, experimental beer using identical decoction single-hopped technology, where a hop aroma was highlighted using hopping in a whirlpool was prepared. The results show that three genotypes belong to the category of bitter varieties (5165, 5194, and 5304), whereas the other are genotypes exhibiting the character of aromatic varieties. From a grower’s point of view, genotypes 5165 (Uran), 5194, 5348, 5398, and 5461 show a very high yield. The overall impression of all beer samples is very good, bitterness is fine in most samples and hop aroma is mostly hoppy, herbal, woody, spicy, and in some cases also fruity (5304, 5461, 5465, 5646, and 5693).

Antioxidant Activity of Different Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) Genotypes.

The antioxidant activity (AA) of hop extracts obtained from different hop genotypes (n = 14) was studied. For comparison, the purified β-acids-rich fraction and α-acids-with-β-acids-rich fraction were also used to test the antioxidative potential. The AA of purified hydroacetonic hop extracts was investigated using the Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP), Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) and Intracellular Antioxidant (IA) methods. The FRAP values in different hop genotypes ranged between 63.5 and 101.6 μmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g dry weight (DW), the ORAC values ranged between 1069 and 1910 μmol TE/g DW and IA potential values ranged between 52.7 and 118.0 mmol TE/g DW. Significant differences in AA between hop genotypes were observed with all three methods. AAs were determined using three different methods, which did not highly correlate with each other. We also did not find significant correlations between AA and different chemical components, which applies both to AA determined using individual methods as well as the total AA. Based on this fact, we assume that the synergistic or antagonistic effects between hop compounds have a more pronounced effect on AA than the presence and quantity of individual hop compounds.

Phytochemical characterisation and aromatic potential for brewing of wild hops (Humulus lupulus L.) from Northern France: Towards a lead for local hop varieties

In the current context of developing aromatic beers, our study aims at deciphering the chemical characterisation of cones from 39 wild hop genotypes collected in the North of France and replanted in an experimental hop farm, as well as 10 commercial and 3 heirloom varieties, using HS-SPME/GC–MS for the volatile compounds, UHPLC-UV for phenolic compound quantification, and UHPLC-IMS-HRMS for untargeted metabolomics. These analyses revealed a strong opposition between wild accessions and reference varieties, and an original chemical composition of some genotypes. 27 beers were produced with the same recipe, analysed by SBSE-GC–MS and evaluated by panellists. The unique difference relates to the hops to be assessed in order to determine their sensory profile. The different datasets were compared by OPLS-DA analysis in order to identify chemical markers which may influence the hop aromatic potential. Our results highlight the aromatic potential of some wild accessions, close to the commercial variety Cascade.

HopBox: An image analysis pipeline to characterize hop cone morphology

AbstractHop cone morphology can influence picking and drying ability, and color can impact consumer preference and may be indicative of quality. However, these characteristics are not generally evaluated in hop breeding programs due to the tedious nature of trait quantification and the extensive variation among cones within a genotype. We developed the HopBox, which is a simply constructed light box with a camera mount, and a publicly available image processing pipeline that identifies hop cones within color‐corrected images, reads a QR code within the image, and outputs data on hop cone length, width, area, perimeter, openness, weight, color, and density. The trained model was applied to images of 500 cones each from 15 replicated advanced hop genotypes from the USDA‐ARS breeding program in Prosser, Washington. Analysis of variance revealed significant (p < 0.001) differences between genotypes for all traits measured, enabling breeders to discriminate between genotypes for selection purposes. Broad sense heritability for all traits ranged from 0.23 to 0.59. A random sampling of hop cones from the complete dataset revealed that imaging only 5–10 cones adequately captured genotypic variation and provided acceptable rank correlations (rs > 0.75); however, increasing the sample size to 30 provided optimal precision. Instructions for constructing a HopBox and the code for the analysis pipeline are publicly available online and have wide applicability for hop breeding and research.

Antimicrobial Properties of Different Hop (Humulus lupulus) Genotypes

The antimicrobial activity of hop extracts obtained from different hop genotypes were investigated against Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacillus acidophilus. In this study the pure xanthohumol, purified β-acids rich fraction, as well as α-acids with β-acids rich fraction were used to test antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacillus acidophilus; whereby, the antimicrobial activity of different hop extracts against Lactobacillus acidophilus was studied for the first time. Microbial susceptibility to purified hydroacetonic extracts from different hop varieties was investigated by the broth microdilution assay to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The hop hydroacetonic extracts were more effective against Staphylococcus aureus than against Lactobacillus acidophilus. Strong inverse correlations of MIC and MBC values were obtained with xanthohumol, cohumulone, n+adhumulone, colupulone and n+adlupulone contents, suggesting that the identified chemical hop compounds are directly responsible for antimicrobial effects. Moreover, the effect of the growth medium strength on the MIC values of hop extracts against Staphylococcus aureus was systematically investigated for the first time. The current study also reveals the effect of different hop extracts on Staphylococcus aureus, which responds to their presence by lag phase extension and generation time prolongation.

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.): Suitability of Traditional Cultivars to a Low-Trellis Farming System in a Semiarid Environment

Humulus lupulus is a dioecious twining herb, with an outstanding vertical development capacity. Hop plants are usually grown on trellises up to 4.5 to 6.0 m high, whose management requires intense use of water, fertilizers, pesticides, and labor. In semiarid Mediterranean areas, where native resources are often scarce, the adoption of low-trellis farming systems could be a sustainable option for hop cultivation. With the aim of evaluating hop suitability to low-trellis cultivation in a Mediterranean environment, in 2018 and 2019 three traditional hop genotypes (‘Cascade’, ‘Chinook’, and ‘Nugget’) were grown, and their development rate was evaluated and put in relation with the plants’ cone, root, and biomass yield. Moreover, organic (fragmented pine bark) and synthetic [black polyethylene (PE) plastic film] mulches were applied on the same cultivars, and both epigeal and hypogeal development were evaluated. The results showed that the faster the growth in the first two phases of plant elongation (up to 50% of the height of the upper wire), the lower the yield in both cones and total epigeal biomass. A fast growth rate was instead associated with a higher hypogeal biomass production. Mulching was able to significantly affect the hypogeal biomass, specifically for cv. Cascade, where the use of synthetic mulching allowed significant root biomass increases. The analysis of the results obtained showed that hop’s suitability to a low-trellis farming system is highly variable among varieties in the semiarid Mediterranean environment.

Pilot brewery tests of Czech flavour hop varieties registered in 2022

Seven new Czech “flavour hop” varieties were tested in pilot brewing trials (50 l), in which samples of Ale-style beer were prepared using dry hopping. Essential oils in the beer were determined by fluidized-bed extraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Hop-derived aromas in beer were evaluated by descriptive method. Comparison of terpene essential oils in samples showed differences between hop genotypes and only a partial relationship with the sensory profile of beer. A cluster analysis of hop aromas in beer revealed the relationship between the pairs of Saturn and Pluto; N and Eris; Ceres and Jupiter hop varieties. The submitted results present the sensory properties of these new varieties and are useful for further study of the relationship between chemical and sensory profile of dry hopped beers.

Chemotaxonomic characterization of hop genotypes based on profiling of proanthocyanidins using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry

To determine the varietal specificity of the composition of proanthocyanidins (PACs) in hops, a fast and simple method of liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry for qualitative profiling of PACs was developed. A total of 140 samples of 19 hop varieties were analysed. Three (epi)catechin-(epi)afzelechin dimers, six (epi)catechin-(epi)catechin dimers, four (epi)gallocatechin-(epi)gallocatechin dimers, seven (epi) catechin-(epi)gallocatechin dimers, and seven trimers consisting of (epi)catechin building blocks were detected in the hop samples. The cluster analysis of PAC varietal profiles showed their close link with the genetic origin of the hops. The main marker distinguishing the American and European genotypes is the representation of catechin and epicatechin in the PAC profile. The varieties in both of these genotype groups are further subdivided based on their low or high proportion of (epi)gallocatechin building blocks in the PAC profile. Knowledge of the composition of proanthocyanidins in hops can be important for the selection of hop varieties in brewing, pharmacy or food supplement production. The developed PAC profiling method can be easily adapted to other plant materials.

Growth regulators and their reflection on different hop genotypes cultivated under in vitro conditions

Abstract Hops is a new culture in Brazil. Tissue culture can be an important technique for rapid hop propagation. This paper aims to characterize responses from different genotypes under different growth regulators through the interrelationship of response variables important to hop in vitro growth. Three genotypes were cultivated in six culture media with different combinations of growth regulators, BAP (6-benzylaminopurine), IAA (3-indolacetic acid) and GA3 (gibberellic acid). The means were compared by orthogonal contrasts and the interrelationship of the response variables was performed by path analysis. American genotypes showed favorable root development under the BAP + IAA combination, while the use of IAA improved shoot development. The origin of genotypes was important for defining the best protocol for in vitro cultivation. The path coefficient showed that the variable number of shoots has stronger direct effect on the number of nodal segments. Additionally, in tissue culture assays, the use of a covariable and proper error distribution significantly increased experimental accuracy.

Evaluation of resistance to Pseudoperonospora humuli and of the content of alpha acids and hop oils in hops of selected genetic resources of hop Humulus lupulus L.

Twenty hop genotypes were selected for the evaluation of resistance to primary and secondary Pseudoperonospora humuli infection and of alpha acid and hop oil content in the hops. From the wild hop genotypes, two from Canada and one from Belgium showed resistance. Among the registered hop varieties, the Czech varieties Kazbek and Boomerang were the most resistant. Both wild hop genotypes from Canada showed the highest content of alpha acids among the wild hop entries, namely 4% w/w. The lowest variability of the alpha acid content in the wild hop category was found in two wild hop varieties from the Caucasus, one from Austria and one from Lithuania. The highest content of hop oils was determined in two hop genotypes from Canada and two from Belgium. Wild hop genotypes from the Caucasus have the lowest variability of hop oils among the wild hop entries. Two hop genotypes from Canada and one from Belgium were selected for breeding aimed at drought resistance.

Development of a Diagnostic Assay for Race Differentiation of Podosphaera macularis.

Hop powdery mildew (caused by Podosphaera macularis) was confirmed in the Pacific Northwest in 1996. Before 2012, the most common race of P. macularis was able to infect plants that possessed powdery mildew resistance based on the R-genes Rb, R3, and R5. After 2012, two additional races of P. macularis were discovered that can overcome the resistance gene R6 and the partial resistance found in the cultivar Cascade. These three races now occur throughout the region, which can complicate management and research efforts because of uncertainty on which race(s) may be present in the region and able to infect susceptible hop genotypes. Current methods for determining the races of P. macularis are labor intensive, costly, and typically require more than 14 days to obtain results. We sought to develop a molecular assay to differentiate races of the fungus possessing virulence on plants with R6, referred to as V6-virulent, from other races. The transcriptomes of 46 isolates of P. macularis were sequenced to identify loci and variants unique to V6 isolates. Fourteen primer pairs were designed for 10 candidate loci that contained single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and short insertion-deletion polymorphisms. Two differentially labeled locked nucleic acid probes were designed for a contig that contained a conserved SNP associated with V6-virulence. The resulting duplexed real-time PCR assay was validated against 46 V6 and 54 non-V6 P. macularis isolates collected from the United States and Europe. The assay had perfect discrimination of V6-virulence among isolates of P. macularis originating from the western U.S. but failed to predict V6-virulence in three isolates collected from Europe. The specificity of the assay was tested with different species of powdery mildew fungi and other microorganisms associated with hop. Weak nonspecific amplification occurred with powdery mildew fungi collected from Vitis vinifera, Fragaria sp., and Zinnia sp.; however, nonspecification amplification is not a concern when differentiating pathogen race from colonies on hop. The assay has practical applications in hop breeding, epidemiological studies, and other settings where rapid confirmation of pathogen race is needed.

Extending and maintaining the in vitro collection of (inter)national hop varieties in Ukraine

Despite the decline in the national hop production, a part of hop products, made of Ukrainian aroma hop, is highly estimated in the international market and exported. Therefore, a relevant prerequisite of ensuring a suffi cient level of competitiveness of domestic hop production is the expansion of its assortment. To satisfy this need the breeders face the task of creating varieties with unique characteristics, which requires searching for new forms and strains of hop with increased content of different biologically active compounds in cones. In this regard national research program aimed to investigate genetic stab ility of hop varieties during multiple planting and storing of explants in in vitro conditions while introducing them into the collection, adapting the composition of Murashige and Skoog culture medium for specifi c varieties is discussed. Studies conducted included the analysis of plants by morphological and variety-specifi c traits, the identifi cation of varieties by biochemical criteria, improvement of hop regenerants using ELISA, molecular-genetic analysis based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for identifi cation of hop genotypes and determination of genetic stability, and the improvement of method of microclonal reproduction of hop. As a result of the perennial research of cultivating hop planting material using the Murashige and Skoog complex of nutrients, the foundations of creating and maintaining the in vitro collection of hop varieties were fi rst elaborated in Ukraine which allow for the possibility of decreasing the concentration of nutrients in the culture medium by 50 %, replacing expensive gel-forming preparation for the maintenance of plants in the culture medium - agar-agar, the share of whose cost in the medium composition is up to 70 %, with a cheaper substance - modifi ed starch DDKamod or agroperlite, and reducing the expenses for the maintenance of genetic pool in the in vitro collection. It was determined that the spectra of microsatellite loci of the amplifi ed DNA of the explants, cultivated in vitro, during the study period did not differ from the spectra of plant DNA prior to cloning, which demonstrated DNA stability and allowed cultivating hop varieties in the in vitro culture without any changes in the genome. The composition of media for cultivation and long- term storing of hop varieties in in vitro conditions was selected.

Breeding of flavour hops in the Czech Republic

Hop breeding in the Czech Republic develops a number of flavour hops. The Kazbek hop variety was registered in 2008 and the Mimosa variety in 2019. The best 7 hop genotypes were selected from breeding materials between the years 2014 and 2019. Kazbek, 5512 (Ceres) and 5571 (Eris) expressed a clear citrusy flavour. Mimosa, 5495 (Juno) and 5520 (Saturn) could be described as fruity while 5164 (Uran), 5540 (Jupiter) and 5580 (Pluto) as rather spicy. Genotype 5164 showed the highest aroma intensity, content of alpha acids (11.51% w/w) and alpha/beta ratio (2.20). Whereas Mimosa demonstrated the highest content of beta acids (5.56% w/w) and the lowest alpha/beta ratio (0.28), 5571 and 5520 had the highest cohumulone amount (49.19% rel. and 47.35% rel., respectively). In contrast, 5580 were distinguished by the lowest cohumulone (21.28% rel.). The highest amount of hop oils was determined in 5164 (1.77 w/w) and 5520 (1.53 w/w). 5164, 5540 and 5495 show a myrcene level above 40% rel. On the other hand, Kazbek, Mimosa and 5571 indicated a myrcene content below 35%. The highest level of farnesene (12.50% rel.) was detected in 5164; in other samples the values were below 1% rel. Mimosa showed the highest concentration of selinenes (32.75% rel.); other samples demonstrated selinenes below 10% rel. The Kazbek variety is the foundation for the breeding of flavour hops in the Czech Republic, and therefore it is the mother plant of genotypes 5495, 5512, 5520, 5540 and 5571. Harmonie is the mother plant of genotype 5580.

Assessment of seed quality and sex determination in hop seedlings using molecular markers

Brazil is the world's third largest beer consumer and currently imports all of its hops for the brewing industry. Such a fact justifies the selection of hop genotypes adapted for cultivation locally, which requires high quality seeds and efficient sex determination of the seedlings. The objectives of this study were to develop a methodology to assess hop seed quality and to efficiently determine hop seedling sex through the use of male-specific molecular markers. Freshly harvested hop seeds were germinated with and without pre-chilling (3-5 ° C) for 3, 6 and 12 weeks and then germinated at 20 or 25 ° C in the presence or absence of light, evaluating germination percentage and germination speed index. F1 progenies were obtained from after seed germination in a greenhouse and seedlings sex was determined using male-specific molecular markers. The best conditions for physiological quality assessment of hop seeds used in the present study were pre-chilling for 12 weeks, followed by germination at 25 ° C, and normal seedling counts at 7 and 15 days. The progeny submitted to molecular marker sexing was composed of 61.3% female plants. The established methodologies presented here can be considered efficient and may contribute to expedite hops breeding programs.

The Use of Metabolomics to Elucidate Resistance Markers against Damson-Hop Aphid

Phorodon humuli (Damson-hop aphid) is one of the major pests of hops in the northern hemisphere. It causes significant yield losses and reduces hop quality and economic value. Damson-hop aphid is currently controlled with insecticides, but the number of approved pesticides is steadily decreasing. In addition, the use of insecticides almost inevitably results in the development of resistant aphid genotypes. An integrated approach to pest management in hop cultivation is therefore badly needed in order to break this cycle and to prevent the selection of strains resistant to the few remaining registered insecticides. The backbone of such an integrated strategy is the breeding of hop cultivars that are resistant to Damson-hop aphid. However, up to date mechanisms of hops resistance towards Damson-hop aphids have not yet been unraveled. In the experiments presented here, we used metabolite profiling followed by multivariate analysis and show that metabolites responsible for hop aroma and flavor (sesquiterpenes) in the cones can also be found in the leaves, long before the hop cones develop, and may play a role in resistance against aphids. In addition, aphid feeding induced a change in the metabolome of all hop genotypes particularly an increase in a number of oxidized compounds, which suggests this may be part of a resistance mechanism.

Analytical and sensory profiles of Slovenian and Czech hop genotypes in single hopped beers

The sensory profile of beer is influenced by the hop variety and hopping technology. This study examined pilot (50 L) pale lager beers, hopped in the kettle with (or without) single dry hopping. Seven Slovenian, four Czech and one American genotypes were used to determine the impact of dry hopping on the sensory and volatile profiles of beer. Descriptive and bitterness lingering assessment sensory methods were used. The essential oil composition of the hops and beers was accessed using GC/MS so as to clarify their correlation to sensory profiles of both brewing processes. Changes in essential oils and aroma profiles of beer related to storage were evaluated. Results showed differences among the genotypes in the hop oil profiles in the kettle-hopped beers. Based on the hop dose, dry hopping increased the monoterpene alcohol (r = 0.60) and monoterpene hydrocarbon (r = 0.74) content. Hoppy flavour correlated to the monoterpene alcohols and hydrocarbons. Hop-derived aroma profiles of the genotypes differed. Dry-hopped beers tended to have a more bitter aftertaste than solely kettle-hopped beers. Both kettle and dry hopped beers of all genotypes showed good sensory acceptance (3–4.5; nine-point scale). After storage of beer, the content of most essential oils and hoppy flavour significantly decreased. The sensory aging of the kettle and dry-hopped beers was comparable. Copyright © 2018 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Evaluation of genetic variability within actual hop (Humulus lupulus L.) cultivars by an enlarged set of molecular markers

Traditional hop (Humulus lupulus L.) cultivars have been used in the brewing industry for a long time. Globally, about ten new breeding lines were released to the market in each decade from ~1970 to 1999. Since 2006, the rate of release of new cultivars has increased tenfold. It is, therefore, important to identify their genotype and origin. Molecular genetic methods based on DNA are the most appropriate technology for this purpose. Recently, we developed an efficient marker system for the authenticity control of hop genotypes based on expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats (EST-SSR). In the present study, we enlarged the previously established EST-SSR set with 27 new polymorphic markers and evaluated molecular genetic variability within 135 traditional and new world hop cultivars. Two sets of 10 markers effectively differentiated all used cultivars, with the exception of cultivars derived from the same original genotype such as Saaz, Spalt, Tettnang and Nadwislawsky. Results of molecular genetic variability analyses corresponded with the genealogical and geographical origin of the key cultivars.

Chemotyping of new hop (Humulus lupulus L.) genotypes using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with quadrupole accurate mass time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with quadrupole accurate mass time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-Q-TOFMS) is employed to profile Humulus lupulus L. (hop) essential oils. Comparison of characterised essential oils allows discrimination among chemotypes. Experimental and commercial hop genotypes displayed distinguishable chemotypic patterns among the volatile secondary metabolites making up their essential oils. In total, 210–306 unique compounds were detected (depending on specific genotype), with 99 of these compounds either positively or tentatively identified. Identified volatile secondary metabolites were grouped into esters, monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated sesquiterpenes and ketones. Terpenoids were the dominant chemical families across all hop genotypes analysed, representing between 67% and 90% of the total ion count. The multidimensional chromatographic profiles of hop essential oils are extremely information-rich, making GC×GC-Q-TOFMS useful for fast screening of new hybrid hop genotypes, and therefore informing breeding strategies to derive new commercial hop cultivars for the development of distinctive and desirable beers.

Agronomic performance and beer quality assessment of twenty hop cultivars grown in Central Italy

Hop market and beer industry have always been of secondary relevance in Italy as compared to grape and wine sector. Hence, hop cultivars and the information for growing hops have been generated almost entirely from the major hop production countries. Identifying cultivars that perform well in Mediterranean environments is therefore essential to successfully start hop cultivation and breeding activity in this new growing region. To evaluate the intraspecific diversity of hop in Central Italy, 20 female hop genotypes with different origin were screened during three growing seasons (2013-2015) in an experimental hop yard. Cones yield, plant height and crop phenology were evaluated to determine which cultivars were best suited to the Mediterranean climate. Moreover, given the rising interest for the development of local beers with distinguishing aroma, a sensory analysis was performed and beers flavoured with locally produced and imported cones were compared. A significant diversity among cultivars was found for all parameters investigated. The results indicated that weather condition during flowering and development of cones markedly affected yield and plant height. Cones yield was negatively correlated with thermal time (r=–0.5, P<0.05) to harvest and positively with plant height (r=0.56, P<0.05). Cascade, Hallertauer Magnum, Hersbrucker Spat and Yeoman showed the best adaptability to the Mediterranean growing conditions as they were the top-performing cultivars across the three years. Sensory analysis evidenced the importance of cultivar selection as determining factor for flavouring properties of beers. In general, results showed that the origin of cones strongly affected the mouth feel of beers. More complex and appreciated aroma profiles were identified for beers flavoured with local cones than those hopped with commercial products.