is a hop variety that was released in 1978 by the German Hüll Hop Research Institute in the heart of the Hallertau. It was bred from the English hop Northern Brewer and an undisclosed male parent. Perle is a well-balanced and highly versatile hop with both medium bittering and medium aroma characteristics, which make Perle a favored multipurpose hop for bittering, flavor, and aroma. Perle averages 5% to 9.5% alpha acids for a moderate, slightly minty, fruity–spicy up-front bitterness. Perle’s mild, fresh-green, almost earthy aroma results in clean and refreshing reverberations in the finished beer. Because of this balance, Perle performs particularly well in pale to medium dark session ales and lagers where aggressive bitterness is not desired. It is also excellently suited to wheat beers. Agronomically, Perle is relatively easy to grow. It is fairly hardy, high yielding, and resistant to many common hop diseases, including wilt (Verticillium albo-atrum, Verticillium dahliae) and downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora humuli). See downy mildewand verticillium wilt. In its land of origin, Germany, it has become the most planted aroma hop variety. It is also grown in Belgium and, since the late 1980s, in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, where alpha values have been higher than in the German-grown hops.