First Gold Hops – UK – 6–9% AA

A versatile British hop with bright citrus notes and classic spice

First Gold is a modern British hop variety combining traditional English character with a distinctive citrus twist. Known for its notes of orange marmalade, floral spice, and subtle herbal tones, it delivers a smooth bitterness alongside a more vibrant aroma than classic UK hops.

An excellent all-rounder, First Gold is widely used in both traditional and contemporary beer styles.

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Key Features

• 🇬🇧 Origin: United Kingdom

• 🌿 Flavour: Orange, marmalade, spice, floral, herbal

• 🍺 Best For: Bitters, Golden Ales, Pale Ales, Belgian Ales

• 🔬 Alpha Acid: 6–9%

• 🧪 Hop Type: Dual Purpose

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About First Gold Hops

First Gold hops were developed at Wye College in the UK as a cross between Whitbread Golding Variety (WGV) and a dwarf hop variety. Released in the 1990s, it quickly gained popularity for its ability to combine traditional English hop character with brighter citrus notes.

Often described as an English-style hop with a modern edge, First Gold offers a distinctive orange and marmalade flavour that sets it apart from more earthy or floral UK varieties. Its balanced alpha acid content makes it suitable for use throughout the brewing process.

It is particularly effective in lighter ales and Belgian-style beers, where its citrus character can shine without overpowering the overall balance.

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Flavour & Aroma Profile

Expect bright, balanced notes of:

• Orange zest

• Marmalade

• Floral spice

• Herbal undertones

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Brewing Applications

First Gold is ideal for brewers looking to combine classic British character with a touch of citrus brightness.

Perfect for:

• English Bitters

• Golden Ales

• Pale Ales

• Belgian Ales

Works particularly well for:

• Late additions to highlight citrus and marmalade notes

• Balanced bittering with added flavour

• Adding complexity to lighter styles

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Substitutes

If you’re looking for similar hop varieties, consider:

• East Kent Goldings

• Styrian Goldings

• Challenger

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Specifications

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Freshness, Packaging & Traceability

At The Malt Miller, we take hop quality seriously. All hops are stored in our temperature-controlled cold store to maintain their freshness, aroma, and brewing performance.

Each pack is nitrogen flushed and sealed in a high-quality, resealable mylar bag. This protects the hops from light, oxygen, and moisture — preserving their essential oils and alpha acids until you’re ready to brew.

Every pack is labelled with a batch code, allowing full traceability back to the supplier. This means you can access detailed information such as alpha acid content and harvest year, giving you complete confidence and consistency in your brewing.

We contract and source our hops from the finest merchants and farms around the world, ensuring you get the chance to brew with the same high quality product that professional breweries use.

Using mylar bags which prevent light degradation of the hops, flushing the bags with nitrogen to remove oxygen and cold storage of them until ordered by you, ensures the hops are as fresh as possible.

If you want to learn more about hops and how to use them then check out our Help Centre where you will find blog posts and our Brew With Us ESSENTIALS and we also have some great content on our YouTube channel about hops too.