Nectaron

Nectaron® is a hop variety from NZ Hops, developed together with the New Zealand research institute Plant & Food Research, which merged into the Bioeconomy Science Institute on 1 July 2025. The official variety name is Hort4337; Nectaron is the brand name. In the United States the variety is protected by plant patent PP31853, granted in June 2020 and in the name of NZ Hops. In New Zealand it falls under plant variety rights.

According to the patent, Nectaron was bred in 2004 from a cross of a tetraploid mother plant (selection 00.L125-09) with a diploid male plant (99-59-39). The result is triploid and has only about 1–2% seed. According to the breeder, the variety has North American and European (Saaz) ancestors and is a full sister of Waimea, another New Zealand variety. The Waimea patent names the same mother plant.

According to NZ Hops, Nectaron gives mainly tropical fruit: pineapple and passion fruit, supplemented with stone fruit (peach) and citrus (grapefruit). In the 2026 harvest report, the breeder first describes a lot of stone fruit, followed by tropical fruit, citrus and pineapple. A brewer in the variety sheet tastes, besides sweet pineapple and peach, also somewhat more onion and garlic than in many other New Zealand hops.

We have hardly found any independent research on the compounds behind that character. A 2026 study included Nectaron in an analysis of volatile compounds in ten varieties, but the summary names no compounds per variety. In the patent, the oil of one measured sample consisted of 60% myrcene and 17.3% humulene, with 1.9 ml of oil per 100 grams of hops. The variety sheet gives 1–2 ml per 100 grams. In the 2026 harvest, NZ Hops measured 1.2–2.3 ml; the breeder calls Nectaron an outlier there.

According to the breeder, Nectaron works best late in the brewing process or when dry hopping. The breeder mentions NEIPA, IPA, double IPA, pale ale and lager as applications, and also alcohol-free beer. According to the patent, it can provide both flavour and bitterness.

Forms: - ordinary hops, also organic; - Cryo Hops®: pellets of concentrated lupulin, via Yakima Chief Hops.

NZ Hops recommends combinations with Citra, Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin, Motueka and Riwaka, among others. The breeder does not name a substitute. According to the patent, Nectaron differs from its sister Waimea in that, among other things, the cones ripen earlier and are usually smaller.

Nectaron is the result of long selecting. According to the variety sheet, it was crossed in 2004, selected as a seedling in 2006, put into selection trials in 2008, trialled with growers in 2015–16 and released in 2020. The breeder attributes the work to Dr Ron Beatson, who is also listed as inventor on the patent. The variety grew fast: in 2026, according to NZ Hops, Nectaron was the largest harvested variety, ahead of Nelson Sauvin and Motueka.

A good starting point: choose a hazy IPA or pale ale in which Nectaron plays the lead. Smell first: pineapple and passion fruit up front, then peach and grapefruit. Also notice whether you smell something savoury, such as onion; a brewer mentions that for this variety. If you want to hear the difference, try putting it next to a beer with Nelson Sauvin or Motueka, varieties with which the breeder combines it.