Cryo Hops® seem to be all the rage these days, which is great news for Yakima Chief Hops, which recently received a patent for the Cryo Hop processing technology it developed.

Details from the press release:

Yakima Chief Hops (YCH), the leading American hop supplier, has been awarded a US patent for its innovative hop processing technology used in manufacturing their Cryo Hops® brand products, as they also celebrate the 5th Anniversary since its launch to the brewing industry.

YCH is known for its leading hop research and advanced products. With a robust R&D team, they aim to continuously innovate and provide brewers with hop products that greatly enhance their beers.

In 2017, YCH announced the development of their proprietary technology used to make Cryo Hops® brand pellets. It was considered the biggest discovery in advanced hop processing that the industry had seen in decades.

Identified as Patent Number US 11,214,765 B2, this unique process takes whole hop cones and gently separates the components using cold temperatures and liquid nitrogen with a single pass through a mechanical sieve. The lupulin glands, containing the oils and resins that give beers their distinct hop flavors, are isolated, creating a concentrated lupulin powder. The minimalistic handling and low oxygen environment are ideal for preserving quality and producing the highest alpha product, a key component to brewing delicious hoppy beers. The powder is cold pressed into pellets for maximum brewing efficiency.

The US Patent identifies this process as a significant and measurable improvement from any other hop production process, which is exclusive to YCH. Aided by this process, Cryo Hops® brand products contribute intense hop flavor and aromas to beers and allow brewers to dose large amounts of hop oils with less volume, meaning greater cost efficiency and beer yields with less packaging and storage.

“It has been incredible to watch Cryo Hops® brand products gain popularity in the craft beer community over the past five years,” said Karl Vanevenhoven, Chief Operations Officer at YCH. “We’re excited to continue evolving our advanced products. We’ve just barely scratched the surface on hop innovation.”

This seems particularly relevant since I also just received several Hop Valley beers brewed with Cryo Hops to review.