Palisade (Hop) is a proprietary hop owned by Yakima Chief. It was bred by Chuck Zimmerman, who recorded it as an open-pollination product of Tettnanger. Whether this was genuine Tettnanger (U.S. Department of Agriculture 21496, 21497, or 61021) or American Tettnanger (21197) is unclear. The latter is not a true Tettnanger and many believe it to be a Fuggle. See american tettnanger (hop), fuggle (hop), and tettnanger (hop). Hence, Palisade may or may not have German heritage. It is an extremely vigorous hop, unlike either Tettnanger or Fuggle, with rather high yields that may reach 2,200 to 3,000 lb/acre. It flourishes in the hot, dry climate of Yakima, but can only survive in Oregon with great difficulty, because it is extremely sensitive to downy mildew, a major problem in Oregon. With 5.5% to 9.5% alpha acids and 6% to 8% beta acids, the alpha-to-beta ratio resembles more that of Tettnanger than Fuggle, but the alpha levels are considerably higher than that of either. Cohumulone content is 24% to 29%, which is similar to that of both Fuggle and Tettnanger. The oil profile, however, is very dissimilar to either. Palisade has average storage characteristics. When harvested early in the season, Palisade has a gentle, pleasant aroma that blends well with beers having a delicate flavor profile, but when harvested later Palisade becomes rather aggressive and pungent. The aroma can vary widely as a result. On average, however, Palisade shows a range of tropical fruit aromatics and is sometimes reminiscent of mango, with notes of apricot and freshly cut grass. Many American craft brewers treat Palisade as a good “blending hop,” a character actor that supports other hops in leading roles. It blends particularly well with Amarillo and Cascade and has found its way into many American West Coast pale ales and India pale ales.

See also amarillo (hop), cascade (hop), and india pale ale.