Part of an article on The Breeding and Parentage of Hop Varieties
By Ing. Gerard W. Ch. Lemmen

The history behind the origins of the Golding hop

Goldings (U.K. & U.S.)
This is a group of cultivars which are slightly different, as will be shown.

Over the decades, this group has been changed and widened. Most of these cultivars are named after villages in east Kent or after the hop farmers who grew them.

East Kent Goldings are any of these cultivars grown in the East of Kent. Mid Kent Goldings are, on occasion, referred to as East Kent Goldings, which is incorrect. East Kent Goldings are a premium hop; hence, the price is higher than Kent or Worcester Goldings. The soil and climatic conditions and maybe the husbandry of the farmers in that part of Kent make it a unique and delicate aroma, superb for use in craft ales and lagers.

In the United Kingdom, Goldings are grown in East Kent, Mid Kent, Hampshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. In the U.S., they are grown in Oregon and the Yakima Valley, where the cultivar is mainly Canterbury Golding, which will be mentioned due course. Goldings have an alpha acid range of 4.5-6.5%, are early to mid-season ripening with mainly a green colored bine. They are susceptible to Downy and Powdery Mildew and Verticillium Wilt.

The following cultivars are known:
Amos’s Early Bird
This early ripening variety has a green bine withered mottling. It is referred to as an offspring of Bramling. In 1887, this cultivar was selected from a garden of Bramlings by Alfred Amos, a hop farmer in Wye. His great-grandson, Charles Amos, unfortunately gave up hop farming in the early eighties.

Cobbs
In 1881, in Sheldwich near Faversham in Kent, John Cobb introduced this mid-season ripening variety. It was selected from a garden of Canterbury Whitebine by a hop farmer, James West. This cultivar is still grown in the U.K.

Brambling
In 1865, this cultivar was grown extensively. However, the date of origin is not known, although it was selected by a farm bailiff named Smith on Musgrave Hilton’s farm at Bramling near Canterbury. It is an early ripening cultivar. In 1927, a female plant of this variety was crossed with a male plant, OT45, a brother of Brewers Gold, to result in the variety Bramling Cross, also called OT48.

Eastwell
Before 1889, this variety was already grown at Eastwell Park, near Ashford, Kent. It closely resembles Petham and Rodmersham Goldings, but ripens slightly later, although still mid-season. This cultivar was used in the breeding process of Target.

Canterbury
Shortly before 1790, this famous variety, also called Old Golding or East Kent Golding, was selected by Mr. Golding of the village of Malling in Kent from a garden of Canterbury Whitebine. Its bine is speckled with red. It seems more susceptible to hop aphids than other Golding cultivars and is late ripening. This variety is used in the U.S. for growing Goldings. A female plant of this cultivar was crossed in 1934 with a male plant, OB21, which was a seedling from Brewers Gold and a Californian male, OY1, to form Northern Brewer.

Petham
Although there are no records of its origin, it is assumed this mid-season ripening variety was first grown in the village of Petham near Canterbury. It has a less red mottled bine and it resembles Eastwell and Rodmersham Goldings.

Rodmersham
About 1880, this cultivar was selected by Robert Mercer of Rodmersham House near Sittingbourne, Kent, from a hop garden near Malling which was said to be more than 100 years old. This mid-season ripening variety is sometimes referred to as Mercer’s Golding. It is similar to Eastwell and Petham.

Mathon
This late ripening variety was originally grown in the village of Mathon, Worcestershire. In 1906, John Percival stated that the Mathon is closely related in “botanical” characters to the Canterbury Whitebine. Drawings of this variety were used in porcelain factories in Worcestershire in 1790s. Morris Hanbury has the only remaining plate, dated 1794, hanging in its boardroom in Kent.

The following is from the "Shut Up About Barclay Perkins" blog by historian Ronald Pattinson

“English Goldings. The genuine Golding is of very delicate aroma and flavour. It is usually a small and compact hop, of what might be called buttony appearance. When ripe and well managed the cones are unbroken. As a result, when a sample is cut from a pocket the formation of each cone is clearly outlined, with its resins in clusters of gold. The strig is short and angular, with the joints close together. The bracts have the ends rounded off and lie closely packed to the strig. If ripe and in good condition, Goldings should break up in an even and regular texture when rubbed down between the hands. They should not feel stringy, and the deposit on the hands reveals a wealth of resin. As a rule there is not a large amount of seed. For that reason the hop is most suitable for dry hopping, especially as it retains its wholeness in the cask and obviates floaters. The Golding is an ideal hop for stock pale ales, as the preservative properties are high. It is at all times suitable for any pale ale, especially bottling beers.”
"Brewing Theory and Practice" by E. J. Jeffery, 1956, page 173.

This confirms what I thought about Goldings: good flavour, perfect for Pale Ales, an excellent dry hop. It’s no wonder that it’s hung around for so long. Despite its lower yield per acre, it had many qualities brewers desired.

Now for related varieties:

“Golding Types. Under this heading we can include Bramlings, Worcester Mathons, Cobbs, and Tutshams, all of which vary from Goldings, perhaps in some cases only a little. The difference, however, is just enough to be noticeable.

Bramlings, for instance, ripen earlier than Goldings, and have neither the delicate flavour nor the amount of resin. They are not quite so compact in formation. At the same time, they are very useful pale ale hops.

Mathons are claimed to be every bit the equal of Kent Goldings, and with the vast improvement effected in the production of hops in the Worcester district in recent years we are almost inclined to agree. Some, produced by a well-known grower whose name it is inadvisable to mention, are certainly equal to any Goldings ever produced, and they only differ in so far as they are a little brighter and yellower in appearance. This difference in colour is rather a characteristic of the Worcester growth.

Cobbs have slightly larger cones, and the bracts do not lie so closely together as is the case with Goldings proper. The flavour is a little coarser. We have seen some with a large amount of resins, but others are rather deficient in this respect. It appears therefore that they vary according to management. They, too, are useful hops for pale ales if blended with some other hop which is rather more delicate in flavour.

Tutshams are larger hops, and of still heavier flavour. We advise them for use as a blend with coarse Fuggles in order to tone down the latter for mild ales. The strig of all hops of this type is short, and with joints set closely together at angles.”
- Brewing Theory and Practice" by E. J. Jeffery, 1956, pages 173 - 174.

Strange that Mathons – really the Farnham variety – were grown in Worcester, but not in Surrey. I’d noticed that Worcester hops were sometimes used in quite classy beers. I assume these hops would have been Mathons.