Description
Nugget hop plant in a 10x10x10 cm plug
The Nugget hop plant is a safe choice for anyone wanting to establish a robust, productive variety that is useful in brewing. Nugget is mainly sought after for its bittering power: it gives a present, clean and harmonious bitterness, while keeping a grassy, spicy, slightly floral and sometimes fruity aromatic character, depending on the harvest and when it is added in the brewery.
This 10x10x10 cm plug format offers a more comfortable root volume than a very small young plant. It suits spring and autumn planting when the soil has dried out after rain, is alive and well drained. It is a good choice for a brewer’s garden, a small hop yard or a trial planting before moving on to a larger area.
Nugget variety profile
Nugget is a variety of American origin, bred through the USDA’s public breeding programme. It is classed among the high-alpha hops and can be used for bittering or as a dual-purpose hop depending on the recipe. In brewing, it is relevant when you want an effective bitterness base without overpowering the rest of the recipe.
- Type: bittering hop, with possible use as a late aroma hop.
- Indicative alpha acids: approximately 9.5 to 14%, depending on terroir, vintage and growing practices.
- Aromas: grassy, spicy, resinous, floral, with a discreet fruity touch.
- Beer styles: IPA, Imperial IPA, Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, Barley Wine and amber beers.
- Yield: high, with good vegetative vigour once the plant is well established.
Planting advice
Plant the Nugget hop plant in a very sunny spot, with a solid vertical support. Hops can climb high during the season: provide string, a trellis, a pergola, a cable or a hop yard structure. A deep, fertile, free-draining soil helps establishment and limits water stress.
- Plant outside frost periods, in loosened soil enriched with well-rotted compost.
- Water regularly after planting, without waterlogging the plug.
- Mulch around the base to keep moisture stable and limit competition from weeds.
- Keep the most vigorous shoots and train the bines onto their support.
- Space the plants to ensure good airflow and make harvesting easier.
Related Hopstock pages
To compare plant formats, also see our hop plants category and the XXL 10x10x10 plugs selection. If you want to put together a planting with several profiles, Nugget can be combined with a more aromatic hop such as the Cashmere hop plant or with a versatile variety such as the Triumph hop plant.
Useful external resources
To find out more about the variety without going through competing commercial sites, you can consult the Nugget page at Hopfenforschung as well as a general introduction to hops.
Living product: the appearance of the plant may vary depending on the season, the growth stage and the dispatch date. Establishment then depends on planting, watering, exposure and soil quality.