Genus and species:Humulus lupulus.

Variety denomination: ‘HBC 735’.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

HBC ‘735’ is a product of a controlled breeding program carried out by the inventors in the Yakima Valley of Washington State. ‘HBC ‘735’ was one of several seedlings resulting from an open pollination cross made in 2010 with female parent HBC ‘463’, an unpatented variety, and an unknown male parent. Seedling plants from this cross were planted in 2011 and screened for disease resistance and sex in a greenhouse and field nursery near Granger, Wash. A single plant of ‘HBC 735’ was selected in 2014. In 2015 ‘HBC 735’ was asexually reproduced via softwood cuttings, and expanded to thirty (30) plants in an evaluation blocks near Toppenish, Wash. In 2019 ‘HBC 735’ was further expanded to a one (1) acre test block near Moxee, Wash. with plants asexually reproduced via softwood cuttings. The ‘HBC 735’ plants have now been observed and evaluated for several years. Throughout several generations of asexual propagation, ‘HBC 735’ has been observed to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct hop plant is described herein, with the ‘HBC 735’ cultivar characterized by having cones which are late-season maturing, and with a high alpha acid content. The new cultivar exhibits a lemony citrus aroma with piney and spicy notes, and some tropical aromas of cantaloupe and pineapple. The new cultivar is suitable for beer flavoring.

COMPARISON OF ‘HBC 735’ TO PARENT PLANT AND COMPARISON CULTIVAR

Table 1. below, sets forth some of the distinguishing characteristics of ‘HBC 735’ as compared to its female parent ‘HBC 463’, and to the ‘Chinook’ cultivar as a closely comparable cultivar.

TABLE 1INSTANTFEMALECOMPARISONCV.PARENTCV.‘HBC 735’‘HBC 463’‘CHINOOK’Alpha (% of cone weight)15.2-16.011-1211.5-15Beta (% of cone weight)6.4-7.05.5-5.63-4Co-humulone26.5-27.041-5227-31(% of alpha acids)Total Oil (mL/100 g)2.2-3.61.1-2.61.0-2.5

