Willamette Hops
I wanted to pass along this anecdote.
I was out to dinner with the family last night and my father in law ordered wine. It was from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
My father in law, who lived in Oregon for a few years, was pronouncing the name of the valley and it took me by surprise.
I told him there’s a hop variety with the name “Willamette” and I always pronounced it: WILL-am-ette.
He told me there’s a saying in Oregon for people who mispronounced the name: “It’s will-MAN-ette, DAMN it!”
(By the way, it’s Or-ruh-gin. Not Or-ruh-GONE. I learned that too from him.)
Now for the hop profile:
Willamette hops are a hybrid of the Fuggles hop that were released by the USDA in 1976.
Origin: America (Specifically Oregon)
Aroma: Described by sources as mild having an herbal, woody, and earthy aroma .
Alpha Acid: 4 - 6%
Typical Usage: For the most part, an aroma hop. Flavoring was also a primary use.
Beer Styles: Brown ales, Other UK style ales, US Pale ales
on December 10th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Doesn’t matter what we call them if we can’t get them.
on December 12th, 2007 at 10:15 am
We have a similar pronunciation issue down here in Texas with the Pedernales river. We pronounce it “PERD-a-Nal-ees”! It’s an easy way to tell the locals from the outlanders!
on April 23rd, 2008 at 12:48 am
I’ve lived in Oregon for 28 years, and I have never heard it called “will-MAN-ette”. I have have heard Easterners call it “WILLA-met” , but Oregonians all agree on your pronounciation: “WILL-am-ette”
on April 23rd, 2008 at 8:02 am
Interesting. He lived in Portland for a number of years and that’s where he heard it.
The plot thickens.
on July 30th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Хм…. В этом блоге хоть комментаторы нормальные А то пишут обычно в коменты ерунду всякую.
on July 31st, 2008 at 8:44 am
Hi there,
I am not sure what you wrote. Could you leave a comment in English? Thank you.
on September 2nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
oregonians pronounce it wil-LAM-ette