Ron Mexico

In the late 1990’s, hop breeding pioneer Chuck Zimmermann provided his protégé Jason Perrault with a unique hop plant. Chuck provided few details other than it was a wild hop from the southwestern U.S., a specimen of the taxonomic variety of hops called neomexicanus. It was rank and wild, a late bloomer that would not produce cones until late in the season, if at all. The plant fascinated both Jason and his plot manager at the time, Marco Ramos. So much so that Marco nicknamed it, affectionately referring to it as “Chuck’s Mexican”, a nod to its taxonomic status and southwestern roots. In August 2004, with crossing for the season done and with surplus pollen on hand, Jason noticed that there was still one plant in a flowering stage receptive to pollination. The plant was Chuck’s Mexican. Jason and Marco took all the excess pollen they had, mixed it, and let the wind do the work. The result was a diverse family of several hundred half-wild daughters, they did not know what to expect.

Three years later while conducting field evaluations of the family, Jason noticed a plant with a unique aroma. Intrigued by the tropical and stone fruit aroma of this variety, Jason gave a sample to homebrewers Karl Vanevenhoven and Derry Jefferis. The following harvest, Karl & Derry sought out single hill from which this experimental hop plant grew. In reference to the plant’s background, and with no other way to identify the hop other than a number, Karl and Derry nicknamed it “Ron Mexico”. Show Less