Krush is the commercial name recently assigned to the hop variety previously known as HBC 586, developed by Hop Breeding Company (HBC) in the Yakima Valley (Washington, USA). After more than a decade as an experimental line, this variety was released to the market in 2024, consolidating itself as one of the modern proposals with the greatest aromatic load within the catalogue managed by Yakima Chief Hops. Its chemical profile reflects an approach oriented toward contemporary hop-forward styles, especially those requiring high aromatic expression in late additions and dry hopping.
From an analytical point of view, Krush has alpha acid content ranging between 10% and 14%, accompanied by beta acids around 7-9%. Its essential oil fraction, located between 0.5 and 3.0 mL per 100 g of hop, is dominated by myrcene, humulene and caryophyllene, along with measurable proportions of oxygenated monoterpenes such as linalool and geraniol. This composition explains the appearance of sensory descriptors related to tropical fruit, stone fruit, red berries and citrus, as well as resinous nuances typical of certain terpene pathways.
In brewing application, Krush is used mainly to enhance aroma and flavour in modern ale-fermentation styles, with special effectiveness when used in whirlpool or dry hopping. Its ability to generate biotransformations during fermentation - favoured by strains with beta-glucosidase or beta-lyase activity - allows fruit profiles of great intensity and definition to be obtained. For this reason, it has become a variety of interest for contemporary IPA, DIPA and Pale Ale beers, where its terpene expression can be clearly evaluated.
