Commercialization Potential of British Columbia Feral hops for the Canadian Hop Industry

The Canadian hop industry requires supportive resources from the scientific community to develop
their own unique Canadian hop varieties with characteristics desirable to craft brewers. An alternative
to the time- and labour-intensive method of selective breeding, new hop varieties may be obtained by
identifying novel species in the wild. With its mild winters and long, sunny summers, southern BC was
once the largest hop producer in the British Commonwealth. Although most of the pioneering hop
farms have long since ceased operation, the numerous hop varieties that existed have escaped and
seeded wild populations (i.e. feral). These heirloom feral hops are randomly mating in the wild
producing genetically new hop varieties that are unique to BC. The proposed research will build upon
research funded by a NSERC CCI ARC (2021) grant that found BC feral hops to be both genetically
and chemically diverse….

Faculty Supervisor:

Ji Yong Yang

Student:

Partner:

Crescent Island Farms Ltd.;The Island Hop Company

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture; Manufacturing; Wholesale trade

University:

Langara College

Program: