is a traditional English variety that was bred in 1927 by Professor Ernest S. Salmon at Wye College in Kent, England, and released commercially in 1951. It was a cross between the Bramling (a Golding clone that had become popular in the 1860s) and a male seedling of the Canadian Manitoban wild hop; hence the name. The breeding goal at the time was the preservation of the hardy qualities of the Manitoban in a classic British hop, especially with respect to mildew and wilt resistance. Salmon also looked for improved yields and earlier ripening. The result was a hop with a fruity aroma, black currant and lemon notes, and good alpha characteristics. Until the 1980s, it was a rare hop in British brewers’ repertoire. Among the few breweries reported to use it were Harvey & Son of Lewes, Sussex, and Ruddles Brewery of the East Midlands. See harvey & son ltd. Bramling Cross has an alpha acid range of 6% to 8%, which makes it a general-purpose kettle hop, although British craft brewers also appreciate its black currant and lemon notes. It has been used in imperial stouts as both an aroma and a bittering hop. It is grown mainly in Britain in Kent and Sussex. Many growers and brewers still know it by its trial number OT48. It sends up its shoots quite early in the season and matures by the end of August—although in years with a warm, dry spring, it may show some spring dormancy with a resultant yield reduction. The bine is strong and the cones are of medium size and nicely shaped for comfortable hand picking.