Williamette Hops
Williamette Hops
A Mild, Spicy-Floral English-Style Aroma Hop
Willamette Hops (Humulus lupulus 'Willamette') is a refined aroma hop derived from the English Fuggle, offering gentle herbal, floral, and slightly spicy notes that suit English ales, porters, and balanced pale ales. The perennial bine dies to the ground each winter and regrows 15–20 feet each summer, ripening fragrant cones by late summer. It's hardy and productive. Whether you're brewing classic ales in Edina, screening a tall trellis in Maple Grove, or covering an arbor in Woodbury — Willamette thrives in zone 4b–5a (and colder) gardens.
Willamette Hops Plant Details
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Humulus lupulus 'Willamette' |
| Plant Type | Herbaceous perennial vine (bine); dies back each winter |
| Mature Length | 15–20 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 — mild, herbal, floral, spicy; ~4–6% 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 |
Willamette Hops Uses in Minnesota Landscapes
Home brewing
Willamette is the aroma hop for English-style ales and porters, adding gentle floral-spicy notes. A healthy crown supplies cones for several batches in a Plymouth backyard.
Fast seasonal screen
Its rapid summer growth makes a lush privacy screen on a tall trellis or string system in Eden Prairie, then 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 Willamette 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 Willamette 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, train the strongest few bines 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 Willamette 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.
How is Willamette different from Cascade?
Willamette is milder and more herbal-floral (English Fuggle style), while Cascade is brighter and citrusy. Many brewers keep both for different beer styles.
Do hops come back every year?
Yes — the tops die 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
- Cascade Hops — the classic citrus-floral aroma hop
- Nugget Hops — a high-alpha bittering hop
- La Crescent Grape — an aromatic hardy grape for home fermenting