An Introduction to: Hops
I have returned with another post, beer-related (obviously), and today, I will be discussing the role and purpose of hops used in beer. Again, I will do a brief run-through of what hops actually are, why we use them in beer, but also why they are so important and in particular, within the craft beer world today. Essentially, the post following this one will focus on another beer ingredient and once we have the basics covered, I will go into the more technical stuff i.e the brewing process and discussing particular beers and so on.
But for now, may you enjoy the snowy weather!; grab a beer and let's get down to the beer business.
As we know (or not), there are four basic ingredients used in beer - these are water, hops, malted barley and yeast. However, only three of these ingredients are essential; malted barley, yeast and water - but beer made using only these three ingredients will be dull, sickly sweet and essentially undrinkable. Throughout the brewing history, brewers have added extra ingredients, usually a plant of some sort, aimed to give their beer balance, depth and flavour. We now know that in the past, they have used heather flowers, spruce tips, borage or bog myrtle. In the Middle-Ages, brewers used something called 'gruit' to flavour the beer. Gruit combined herbs and spices together, however gruit recipes varied from place to place.
Discovery of the hops:
However, by the late 15th century, there was one vigorous weed which stood out from the rest of the plants and weeds used in beer and became the fourth essential ingredient: hops. Hop plants are climbing vines (however more accurately bines: vines without tendrils). The plant part used in brewing beer is the actual hop flower; a delicate, pale green, papery cone full of resins. Hops give beer its bitterness when used early in the brewing process and aroma when added at the end. It is also worth noting that hops are a natural preservative, extending the life of beer.
Hops are also part of the hemp family, however instead of giving ''that effect'' as the other members of the family, hops have a resiny essential oil in them that is extremely bitter.
If we look at American microbreweries, the role of hops has moved from being the supporting actor in the beer ensemble, to the starring superstar. West Coast microbreweries led the way in creating beers where the character of hops; bitter, piney, grassy, floral or grapefruity, took the centre stage. Beer lovers and beer nerds (like myself) took pride in seeking out the brews with higher and higher IBUs; international bittering units which measure the concentration of hop compounds in beer.
High hopped beers are not for every taste, of course. However, hop lovers out there know that there is a vast array of hop varieties with new ones constantly being developed which are employed either singly or in combination. As a result of American breweries putting so much emphasis on the use of hops in their IPAs, a new style of beer has emerged, the so-called double or 'imperial' India Pale Ale. These beers feature even more hop power and alcohol by volume to match, usually raging between 8% to 10% ABV.
Different types of hops:
Hops come in many different shapes, forms and sizes and depending on the beer being made and how they need to be stored, each hop type is used for a specific purpose.
Whole Leaf:
The first and main variety of hops is whole leaf. It is exactly what the name indicates; the entire hop bud is used for brewing. Whole leaf hops are more difficult to store, they go off quicker and are very difficult to transport. As a result, they are not used very often, and when they are used, it's generally following the harvest. Home brewers will very rarely use these due to the reasons above. However, for taste and aroma, whole leaf hops are the best option.
Pellets:
Pellet hops are the most common type used when brewing on a large scale and also home brewing. Pellet hops are dried, powdered and pressed into pellet form allowing them to be transported easier, be stored for longer and also for a longer time. It is the most practical way to use hops, and if you are a home brewer, it might be the only type you will use. Hop pellets are also 20%-30% stronger by weight than whole leaf, making them more cost-effective; 1 pound of hop cones yields 10 to 12 ounces of pellets.
Plugs:
Hop plugs are very similar to pellets, however with plugs, whole leaf hops are compressed into plugs. In general, plugs give a better flavour and aroma than the same type of hop in pellet form. Indeed, this is good, however plugs have a smaller surface area than pellets which means more plugs are needed than with pellets to get the same bitterness.
Hop Extracts:
Hop extracts are exactly what they sound like; they are mostly used for convenience and are very rarely used in home brewing. These are very downed upon because of the chemicals used in the extraction process, however in large breweries they can be used mostly because of their ability to be stored and considerable decrease in storage space they allow.
Let's get more technical:
Now that you know the basics of the different types of hops, let's get into the more advanced terms like dry-hopping, wet-hopping, triple drying or aged aroma hopping. There is more than enough terms used to describe beer, however let's look at the most common ones.
Dry Hop:
Dry hopping occurs when hops are added to the beer during fermentation or to the keg after fermentation is complete. Dry hopping will give the aroma an extra kick and allows for some of the more fragile aromas to come through. Dry hops soak in the beer for several days to several weeks.
Wet Hop:
Even though it is very similar to dry hopping, only wetter; it actually refers to something completely different. Wet hopping a beer refers to using only fresh hops when brewing. The hops are added at the same time they normally would be, however the whole leaf fresh hops are used in place of pellets of plugs.
Aroma Versus Bittering:
When brewing, you will generally have hops dedicated to aroma and some meant for bittering. These mean what they say. Aroma hops are the hops a recipe uses for adding a hoppy aroma to a beer, while bittering hops are used to give a distinct hoppy taste to beer. Bittering hops are added early in the boil and aroma hops are added within the last 5-10 minutes of the boil. The closer to the end of the boil you add hops, the more aroma you will get.
Nowadays, there is an enormous variety of hops on the market. Each type of hop will give a different, more unique flavour and aroma. Depending on where the hop is grown and it's chemical make-up, you will get aromas ranging from citrus, to soapy to earthy. Most people downplay the importance of hops and how crucial they are in the flavour of beer. Hops can either give a unique character to beer or make it a complete, muddled mess.
Well there you have it! The basics of hops and what they are and why they are used. Now, you know a bit more and can transfer your knowledge from this blog to the bottle of beer you're drinking! There will be a part 2 (even part 3) to hops as there is simply too much to cover - enjoy the snowy weather, drink responsibly and worship the Hop Gods.
Weronika x
But for now, may you enjoy the snowy weather!; grab a beer and let's get down to the beer business.
As we know (or not), there are four basic ingredients used in beer - these are water, hops, malted barley and yeast. However, only three of these ingredients are essential; malted barley, yeast and water - but beer made using only these three ingredients will be dull, sickly sweet and essentially undrinkable. Throughout the brewing history, brewers have added extra ingredients, usually a plant of some sort, aimed to give their beer balance, depth and flavour. We now know that in the past, they have used heather flowers, spruce tips, borage or bog myrtle. In the Middle-Ages, brewers used something called 'gruit' to flavour the beer. Gruit combined herbs and spices together, however gruit recipes varied from place to place. Discovery of the hops:
However, by the late 15th century, there was one vigorous weed which stood out from the rest of the plants and weeds used in beer and became the fourth essential ingredient: hops. Hop plants are climbing vines (however more accurately bines: vines without tendrils). The plant part used in brewing beer is the actual hop flower; a delicate, pale green, papery cone full of resins. Hops give beer its bitterness when used early in the brewing process and aroma when added at the end. It is also worth noting that hops are a natural preservative, extending the life of beer.
Hops are also part of the hemp family, however instead of giving ''that effect'' as the other members of the family, hops have a resiny essential oil in them that is extremely bitter.
High hopped beers are not for every taste, of course. However, hop lovers out there know that there is a vast array of hop varieties with new ones constantly being developed which are employed either singly or in combination. As a result of American breweries putting so much emphasis on the use of hops in their IPAs, a new style of beer has emerged, the so-called double or 'imperial' India Pale Ale. These beers feature even more hop power and alcohol by volume to match, usually raging between 8% to 10% ABV. Different types of hops:
Hops come in many different shapes, forms and sizes and depending on the beer being made and how they need to be stored, each hop type is used for a specific purpose.
Whole Leaf:
Pellets:
Plugs:
Hop plugs are very similar to pellets, however with plugs, whole leaf hops are compressed into plugs. In general, plugs give a better flavour and aroma than the same type of hop in pellet form. Indeed, this is good, however plugs have a smaller surface area than pellets which means more plugs are needed than with pellets to get the same bitterness. Hop Extracts:
Hop extracts are exactly what they sound like; they are mostly used for convenience and are very rarely used in home brewing. These are very downed upon because of the chemicals used in the extraction process, however in large breweries they can be used mostly because of their ability to be stored and considerable decrease in storage space they allow.
Let's get more technical:
Now that you know the basics of the different types of hops, let's get into the more advanced terms like dry-hopping, wet-hopping, triple drying or aged aroma hopping. There is more than enough terms used to describe beer, however let's look at the most common ones.
Dry Hop:
Dry hopping occurs when hops are added to the beer during fermentation or to the keg after fermentation is complete. Dry hopping will give the aroma an extra kick and allows for some of the more fragile aromas to come through. Dry hops soak in the beer for several days to several weeks.
Wet Hop:
Even though it is very similar to dry hopping, only wetter; it actually refers to something completely different. Wet hopping a beer refers to using only fresh hops when brewing. The hops are added at the same time they normally would be, however the whole leaf fresh hops are used in place of pellets of plugs.
Aroma Versus Bittering:
When brewing, you will generally have hops dedicated to aroma and some meant for bittering. These mean what they say. Aroma hops are the hops a recipe uses for adding a hoppy aroma to a beer, while bittering hops are used to give a distinct hoppy taste to beer. Bittering hops are added early in the boil and aroma hops are added within the last 5-10 minutes of the boil. The closer to the end of the boil you add hops, the more aroma you will get.
Nowadays, there is an enormous variety of hops on the market. Each type of hop will give a different, more unique flavour and aroma. Depending on where the hop is grown and it's chemical make-up, you will get aromas ranging from citrus, to soapy to earthy. Most people downplay the importance of hops and how crucial they are in the flavour of beer. Hops can either give a unique character to beer or make it a complete, muddled mess.
Well there you have it! The basics of hops and what they are and why they are used. Now, you know a bit more and can transfer your knowledge from this blog to the bottle of beer you're drinking! There will be a part 2 (even part 3) to hops as there is simply too much to cover - enjoy the snowy weather, drink responsibly and worship the Hop Gods.
Weronika x
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