Together Solberg and Worthington formed Indie Hops and rebooted Oregon State University’s hop-breeding program with a $1 million donation. They were determined to do something new and enlisted Shaun Townsend, a PhD in breeding and genetics, to lead the effort. They gave him the mandate of breeding a hop that could flourish in the Willamette Valley, produce a distinct aroma and flavor and become one of the few hops that could stand on its own. Eventually X-331 emerged.