Vera hop debuts with bold flavor, public availability and GABF spotlight (here’s everything you need to know)

Available now via Yakima Valley Hops and featured in a special 2025 GABF competition category

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has announced a new public aroma hop: USDA-ARS Vera. Formerly known as HRC-003 or W1108-333, this variety delivers a standout aroma of tropical fruit, stone fruit, and citrus — and brings serious disease resistance to the farm. With its release, brewers now have a new public hop option to diversify hop bills and drive innovation in hop-forward beer styles.

Where Vera comes from

Vera was developed through the USDA-ARS hop breeding program in Prosser, Washington. It originated from a 2011 cross between Brewers Gold and a mildew-resistant Wild American male hop, USDA 64103M. Though the cross began under a Washington State University program, USDA-ARS finalized its selection and release. The name “Vera” honors Vera Katherine Charles, a pioneering USDA mycologist who worked extensively on fungi and helped build the National Fungus Collection. It’s a fitting tribute — this hop is uniquely resistant to hop powdery mildew.

Aroma and brewing characteristics

Vera has a tropical, stone fruit, and citrus-forward profile that performs consistently from dry rub to the final beer. Brewers have likened the aroma to pineapple-flavored Life Savers candy.

Aroma descriptors:

• Ripe peach
• Mango
• White grape
• Bright tropicals
• Subtle floral and citrus tones

Brewing stats:

• Alpha acids: 5.4% (on-farm); 3.79% (trial)
• Beta acids: ~4.7%
• Total oils: 0.8–1.3 mL/100g
• Co-humulone: ~45% (high)
• Terpenes: High in farnesene (19.3%), linalool (0.85%), myrcene (42.5%)
• Harvest window: Mid-late season (around September 19 in the PNW)

These values make Vera best suited for hoppy ales, hazy IPAs, and fruity lagers. It may not shine as a single-hop in all styles but adds a vibrant top note in blends.

Vera’s agronomic strengths

Vera is resistant to major Pacific Northwest races of hop powdery mildew, offering farmers more sustainable production with fewer inputs. It also showed moderate resistance to downy mildew in limited trials.

Yields:

• Year 1: Low (112–336 kg/ha)
• Year 2+: 1,723–3,049 kg/ha, comparable to Cascade
• Grown commercially at Gooding Farms (ID) and Roy Farms (WA)

Pest pressures, including spider mites and hop aphids, were manageable in field trials with minimal chemical use.

Why brewers should consider Vera

Vera’s consistent sensory performance has earned high scores in brewing trials and at HopSource events, according to this Brewers Association article. In 2022 and 2023, it ranked #1 among more than 30 public experimental hop lines, outperforming favorites like Chinook, Comet, Cashmere, and Vista, according to this USDA-ARS report. The 2025 Great American Beer Festival will even feature a special Vera-only competition category. Brewers can enter any beer style, but the Vera hop aroma and flavor must take center stage.

GABF judges will look for:

• Evident tropical, stone fruit, and citrus character
• Balanced integration in a variety of base styles
• A creative use of Vera’s unique sensory traits

This one-time category highlights Vera’s arrival and gives brewers a platform to experiment with a brand-new hop.

Where to buy Vera

The 2024 crop of Vera is now available through:

• Yakima Valley Hops
• Hollingbery & Son
• Hop Research Council via Lupulin Exchange

On Lupulin Exchange, it may still be listed as 2024 US HRC-003.

Final word: a public hop worth your attention

Vera represents more than just a new aroma profile — it’s a milestone for public hop breeding, led by USDA researcher Dr. Kayla Altendorf, the first woman hop breeder in U.S. history. Her program, supported by the Brewers Association and the Hop Research Council, aims to give independent brewers new tools without IP barriers. Brewers looking to experiment, differentiate, or enter the 2025 GABF Vera category should grab this opportunity. Vera is available now, easy to access, and built for flavor and sustainability. Try it. Blend it. Enter it. Vera’s your next hop discovery.