is a New Zealand variety that was released in 1994 by the country’s HortResearch hop breeding program. Southern Cross is a triploid, which means it is an infertile, seedless plant. Its genetic background includes a New Zealand research variety from the 1950s, a California hop, and the English Fuggle. See fuggle (hop). Southern Cross matures in early-mid season, has good yields of about 2,400 kg/ha (2,141 lbs/acre), and is fairly stable in postharvest storage. Southern Cross is a dual-purpose hop with alpha acids in the 12% to 14.5% range and beta acids in the 6% to 6.4% range. It has a fairly high content of floral myrcene of 59% essential oils. The balsamic, resinous humulene amounts to about 13%; the spicy caryophyllene to about 4%; and the floral farnesene to a relatively high 5%. The resulting aroma of this hop is lemony with slight piney and woody notes. The perceived bitterness is soft. Although New Zealand craft brewers have long been familiar with Southern Cross, it is only in recent years that brewers in the northern hemisphere have taken note of it. Craft brewers from California to Norway are now starting to use this hop, largely for aroma, in a wide variety of beers ranging from wheat beers to saisons and pale ales. See bitterness.
