Next-Generation NZ Hop Variety Launched For Brewing Industry

The country’s largest hop grower has commercialised a new variety which it says will help strengthen New Zealand's presence in the global hop market.

Tasman based Clayton Hops has been working in partnership with the Bioeconomy Science Institute's hop breeding team to bring new and exciting hop varieties to market exclusively as part of a joint initiative called the Clayton Innovation Project (CIP).

The newly commercialised variety announced today, NZ Rhapzody™ (CIP014 NZ), has undergone over five years of trialling and sensory testing and is the first exclusive hop variety to come from the CIP. Trial brewing identified the hop as having intense tropical and citrus notes.

Clayton Hops CEO Paul Teen says New Zealand grown hops still only make up around 1% of the global hop market, however in recent years, brewers internationally have shown that they are extremely keen on the incredible aromas and flavours hops from New Zealand uniquely impart.

“We are driven to expand the global hop variety offering to allow brewers to create more diverse and flavourful beer that consumers continue to clamour for,” says Teen.

The hop was planted as a seedling at the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s Motueka research centre. It was selected for its strong yield, chemistry and sensory qualities, and trialled for five years in advanced selection plots. Clayton Hops further validated positive industry feedback via rigorous testing and brew trials by some of the world’s most influential brewers in Canada, China and Australia.

The name NZ Rhapzody™ was selected for several reasons, says Teen. “Music and craft brewing enjoy a shared culture of artistic expression and experimentation. We think of brewers as rockstars and NZ Rhapzody™ as an exciting new instrument for them to create their own epic masterpiece.”

Bioeconomy Science Institute hop breeder, Kerry Templeton, says NZ Rhapzody™ has been a firm favourite with the breeding team for a while now, consistently delivering good results.

“Hop breeding is grounded in science, we use our expertise in plant genetics and sensory testing to identify cultivars with unique aroma profiles. We’re really proud to be helping bring new varieties to market and supporting the growth of New Zealand’s hop industry.”

NZ Rhapzody™ will be harvested in March 2026 and available shortly thereafter in various markets worldwide. The Clayton Hops team will be showcasing NZ Rhapzody™ alongside its other premium New Zealand hop varieties a 2026 Harvest event and launch party on 17 March in Nelson, and thereafter in Australia at the High Country Hop Harvest in Beechworth , CBC Philadelphia in the USA, BrewAsia in Ho Chi Min and Brau Beviale in Nuremberg.

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