Cascade Hops
Cascade Hops
The Classic Citrus-Floral Aroma Hop for Home Brewers
Cascade Hops (Humulus lupulus 'Cascade') is the most popular aroma hop in American craft brewing, famous for its bright grapefruit-citrus and floral character — the signature of countless pale ales and IPAs. The perennial vine (technically a bine) dies to the ground each winter and rockets back 15–25 feet each summer, producing fragrant green cones by late summer. It's tough, productive, and ultra-hardy. Whether you're growing your own brewing hops in Edina, screening a tall trellis in Maple Grove, or covering an arbor in Woodbury — Cascade thrives in zone 4b–5a (and colder) gardens.
Cascade Hops Plant Details
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Humulus lupulus 'Cascade' |
| Plant Type | Herbaceous perennial vine (bine); dies back each winter |
| Mature Length | 15–25 feet each season on a tall support |
| Sun | Full sun (6–8 hours) for the heaviest cone crop |
| Water | Moderate — steady moisture during the fast summer growth |
| USDA Zones | 3–8 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a) |
| Soil | Rich, deep, well-draining; amend Minnesota clay-loam with compost. Hops dislike wet feet. |
| Type / Use | Aroma hop — citrus and floral; ~4.5–7% alpha acids |
| Harvest | Late summer; pick cones when papery and aromatic |
| Winter Hardiness | Very hardy — the crown survives to zone 3; tops die back yearly |
Cascade Hops Uses in Minnesota Landscapes
Home brewing
Cascade is the go-to aroma hop for pale ales and IPAs. A single healthy crown can yield enough cones for several batches in a Plymouth backyard.
Fast seasonal screen
Its explosive summer growth makes a quick, lush privacy screen on a tall trellis or string system in Eden Prairie — then it disappears for winter.
Arbors and porches
Trained up strings or wire, it shades a porch or arbor through summer with fragrant foliage.
Best Time to Plant Cascade Hops in Minnesota
Plant rhizomes or crowns in spring (late April–May) once the soil warms, giving the plant a full season to build roots. Never plant after mid-October.
How to Plant Cascade Hops
- Pick a full-sun spot with deep, well-drained soil and a tall, sturdy support — hops climb 15+ feet and need vertical room.
- Set up strings, wire, or a tall trellis before growth takes off in spring.
- Dig in plenty of compost; plant the crown a couple inches deep and space multiple plants 3–5 feet apart.
- Water in well and mulch to hold moisture and suppress weeds.
- As shoots emerge, select the strongest few bines to train clockwise up the support; trim the rest.
- In late fall after the tops die back, cut them to the ground and mulch the crown.
Watering Cascade Hops in Minnesota
First Year Watering Schedule
- Weeks 1–2: Every 2–3 days, deep and slow
- Month 1–2: Every 3–4 days
- Month 3–6: Weekly; hops grow fast and use a lot of water in summer
- Stop watering 2–3 weeks before ground freeze (typically late October in the Twin Cities).
After Year One
Water consistently during the rapid summer growth and cone development; avoid waterlogged soil, which causes crown rot.
When will I get a good cone harvest?
Expect a light crop the first year while the crown establishes, then full harvests from year two or three onward.
Do hops come back every year?
Yes — the top growth dies back each fall, but the hardy crown resprouts vigorously every spring for many years.
Will it survive a Minnesota winter?
Easily — the crown is hardy to zone 3. Cut the dead bines down in late fall and mulch the crown.
You May Also Like
- Nugget Hops — a high-alpha bittering hop
- Williamette Hops — a mild English-style aroma hop
- Frontenac Grape — a hardy grape for home fermenting