is a modern English variety developed by Dr Peter Darby at Wye College in Kent in 1984 and released for commercial cultivation in 1996. Pioneer’s progenitors are an in-bred female member of Wye’s Target hop family—a high alpha line—and a dwarf hop line related to Wye’s First Gold hop. See first gold (hop), target (hop), and wye college. Pioneer has an alpha acid range of 8% to 10%, a mildly citrus-like flavor, and a typically English aroma. It is a dual-purpose variety suitable for both bittering and aroma. It is also excellent for dry hopping. Initially bred primarily for its high agronomic yield, Pioneer won the 2007 (British) Institute for Brewing and Distilling Hop Competition—surprisingly on the merits of its aroma. Alas, it is a stubborn hop to cultivate and sometimes simply dies after planting, either from disease or because of the wrong soil pH. This is a likely reason why Pioneer now enjoys only limited popularity and availability.
