Contents
Only female inflorescences of common hop (Humulus lupulus) are suitable for beer production. Depending on the variety and growing region, hops contain 200-300 elements that affect the aroma and taste of the drink. Nowadays, it is an indispensable raw material, primarily emphasizing the malt profile.
Hops are valuable for brewing due to four groups of components:
Alpha acids are medium-sized organic molecules that give the beer a characteristic bitter taste that balances the sweetness of the malt. These substances also act as an antiseptic, inhibiting the development of bacteria. Hops contain the following alpha acids: humulone, cohumulone, adhumulone. To fully utilize all the alpha acids, bittering hops are added to the wort at the start of the boil.
beta acids – in properties they are similar to alpha acids, but they are poorly soluble in water and are contained in much lower concentrations, therefore, bitterness is usually not taken into account when calculating. The beta acids in hops cause harsher bitterness, these include: lupulon, colupulone, and adlupulon.
Oils – volatile substances that are responsible for aroma and taste. Due to the volatility of oils, aroma hops are added late in the boil or during beer fermentation, sometimes even after.
The most important oils in hops are:
- Humulene – responsible for the grassy aroma that European hop varieties are famous for.
- Caryophyllene – Gives the woody and earthy notes of cloves and black pepper.
- Myrcene – brings grassy aromas to the beer. All American hop varieties contain 50-70% myrcene in total oils.
Tannins (polyphenols) – have an astringent taste, bind and precipitate protein compounds, when interacting with iron salts give a blackish tint.

Functions of hops in beer:
- forms the bitterness of beer due to alpha acid;
- complements the aroma and taste of the drink;
- is a natural preservative that prevents souring;
- increases foam stability;
- due to tannins, it contributes to the clarification of the wort and finished beer, improving the appearance of the drink;
- Thanks to essential oils, it prevents the oxidation of finished beer.
A Brief History of Hop Growing
In Western Europe, brewers began using hops in the XNUMXth century. The pioneers were the monks. They were the first to see the benefits of hops and abandoned other herbs: dandelion, burdock root, wormwood, heather, marigold, etc. But it took several more centuries for the monastery’s intoxicated beer to prove its superiority. The active use of hops in brewing began only in the XII century.
Interestingly, in Russia, hops were considered a sacred plant; they added it to beer long before the advent of writing. According to one version, it is the Slavs who are the “inventors” of modern beer – with hops, and not on other herbs.
Hops are believed to have been brought to Eastern Europe from Asia by the Goths during the Great Migration Period. Then the plant in the XIII-XIV centuries. from the Slavic peoples came to the Germans, who until then brewed only Celtic hopless barley beer. It was Germany that became the second home of hops and brewing in general.
Cultivation and processing of hops
Hops grow best in humid temperate climates with long sunny days and cool nights. Most plantations are concentrated in latitudes of 35-55 degrees: the eastern part of the USA, Europe and New Zealand.
Interestingly, the same soil is often suitable for growing hops as for potatoes, so countries with well-developed potato growing (USA and Germany) are the leading producers of hops.
Hops is a climbing plant that can grow in the fields only if there are supports – ropes or threads. On one inflorescence there are 30-60 flowers. Harvesting begins in late summer or early autumn. The stems are cut, and the collected cones are sent to a special dryer – a two-story building with a slatted floor on the second floor, which is covered with burlap. Hop cones are laid out on the floor, and a heating installation is installed on the ground floor, supplying hot air upwards.

Dried hops are pressed and packed in cloth bags. Further, the cones undergo additional processing (granulation, processing into an extract or powder), after which they retain their beneficial properties and can be used at any time of the year.
Beer hop selection options
Types of hops by functional purpose
Depending on the role in brewing, all types of hops are divided into two groups: bittering and aromatic. Bitterness-forming varieties have an increased content of alpha acids, while aromatic varieties have a high concentration of essential oils.
Not all high alpha hops are good for bittering, and don’t forget that aromatic hops also provide some bitterness. In most cases, it makes sense to use hops grown in the same region where the beer style originated, or to use proven recipes that specify a particular variety.
Brewers often use several varieties of hops in the same beer. But the problem is that the organoleptic properties of beer are determined not only by the presence, absence and concentration of certain substances in the wort, but also by their chemical interaction with each other. It is impossible to predict all the properties of a combination of malt, water, brewer’s yeast and different types of hops, so brewers have to experiment a lot, rely on their experience and even intuition.
The best way to appreciate hops is to brew beer with only hops in a well-known type of malt, water and yeast strain. In all other cases, it will not be possible to subjectively assess the properties of the selected hop. Most famous brewers have gone this way.
Notable hop varieties (table)
Name | Alpha acids (%) | Beer styles | Analogues for replacement | Description |
Admiral (UK) | 13.5%-16% | Эли | UK Target, UK Northdown, UK Challenger | Suitable for hopping |
Ahtanum | 4%-6.3% | No data | No data | Floral, citrus, pine |
Yellow | 8%-9% | Eli, IPA | Cascade, Continental | Floral, citrus |
Bramling Cross (UK) | 5%-7% | People, lice, people | UK Kent Golding, UK Progress, Whitbread Golding Variety | Mild fruity and citrus aroma |
Brewer’s Gold | 7%-8.5% | English ales | Bullion | Suitable for bittering, has a neutral flavor |
Brewer’s Gold (German) | 6%-7% | Ales, heavy German lagers | Northdown, Nothern Brewer, Galena, Bullion | Fruity, spicy and citrus aroma |
Bullion | 6.5%-9% | IPA, ESB, status | Columbus, Nothern Brewer, German Brewer’s Gold | Intense blackcurrant aroma, used for hopping |
Cascade | 4.5%-7% | IPA, pale ale, porters, barley wine | Centennial, Amarillo, Columbus | Floral, citrus and spicy aroma. May give hints of grapefruit |
Centennial | 8%-11.5% | Ale, wheat beer | Cascade, Columbus | Floral fragrance with citrus notes |
Challenger (UK) | 6.5%-8.5% | English beers | Perle, Nothern Brewer | Mild to moderate, spicy aroma |
Chinook | 10%-14% | IPA, pay ale, stouts, porters, camps | Nugget, Columbus, Nothern Brewer, UK Target | Mild to moderately heavy, spicy, pine aroma, grapefruit tones |
cluster | 5.5%-8.5% | Aroma for ales, bitterness for lagers | Galena | Medium, very spicy aroma |
Columbus | 11%-16% | IPA, mail people, status | Nugget, Chinook, UK Target, Nothern Brewer | Spicy, with a spicy aroma |
Crystal | 2%-4.5% | ESB, camps, pilsners | Mt Hood, Hersbrucker, French Strisslespalt, Liberty, Hakkertauer | Gives a mild floral and citrus scent |
Erotica | 9%-12% | Wheat | Gallena, Nugget, Chinook | Strong but pleasant scent |
First Gold (UK) | 6.5%-8.5% | ESB, ales | UK Kent Golding, Crystal | Spicy, similar to Golding hops |
Fuggle (US) | 4%-5.5% | English and American ales | UK Fuggle, Willamette, Styrian Golding, Tettnanger | Soft and pleasant aroma, earthy and fruity notes |
Fuggle (UK) | 4%-5.5% | English beers | US Fuggle, Willamette, Styrian Golding | Mild hop or powerful aroma |
Galena | 10%-14% | ESB, ales, porters, stouts, bitters | Nugget, Pride of Ringwood, Chinook | Moderate but pleasant hop tone, citrus aroma |
Golding (US) | 4%-6% | English beers | UK Golding, Whitbred Golding, UK Progress, Fuggle | Mild, very pleasant, gentle hop aroma |
Hallertauer (US) | 3.5%-5.5% | Lagers, Pils, Bocks, Wheat | Liberty, Ultra, Hallertauer Tradition | Aroma is very mild, slightly floral, slightly citrusy. |
Hallertauer Gold | 6%-6.5% | Camps, pills, sides | Crystal, Mt. Hood | Looks like Hallertauer |
Hallertauer Mittelfruh | 3%-5,5% | Lagers, bocks, pils, wheat | Liberty, German Tradition, Ultra | Soft and pleasant fragrance |
Hallertauer Tradition (German) | 3.5%-5.5% | Mild flavored beer | Crystal, Liberty | Looks like Hallertauer Mittelfruh |
Hersbrucker | 3%-5.5% | Camps, pills, sides, wheat | Mt. Hood, French Strisslespalt | The aroma is mild to semi-strong, pleasant, hoppy |
Horizon | 11%-14% | Eli, camp | magnum, | Pleasant hop aroma |
Kent Golding (UK) | 4%-5.5% | English styles | US Golding, Whitbred Golding, UK Progress | Delicate, fragrant, pleasant aroma |
Liberty | 3%-6% | Lagers, Pils, Bocks, Wheat | Hallertauer Tradition, Hallertauer, Mt. Hood | Mild and clean slightly spicy aroma |
Magnum | 13%-15% | All varieties, especially lagers, pils, stouts | Nothern Brewer | Used for quality hopping |
Mt. Hood | 3%-8% | Lagers, Pils, Bocks, Wheat | Crystal, French Strisslespalt, Hersbrucker | Mild and clean aroma, sometimes pungent, resinous |
Northdown (UK) | 7.5%-9.5% | All ales | nd | Fruity, slightly spicy aroma |
Nothern Brewer (US) | 6%-10% | ESB, bitters, English pale ales, steam beer | Nugget, Chinook | Moderately strong aroma, with wild notes |
Nothern Brewer (German) | 7%-10% | ESB, bitters, English pale ales | Chinook, US Nothern Brewer | Moderately strong aroma, with wild notes |
Northwest Golding | 4%-5% | Ales, porters, stouts, bitters | nd | Known for aromatic qualities |
Nugget | 11%-14.5% | Light camps | Columbus, Chinook, UK Target, Galena | Gives a rather heavy, herbal aroma |
Olympic | 11%-13% | nd | Chinook | Mild to medium aroma, citrus, spicy |
Pearls (US) | 6%-9.5% | Pales, porters, German beer | Nothern Brewer, Cluster, Galena, Chinook | Good for aroma and hopping, pleasant, slightly spicy |
Pearls (German) | 6%-8.5% | Pales, porters, camps | US Perle, Nothern Brewer | Moderately intense, hoppy, fruity, slightly spicy |
Phoenix (UK) | 4.2%-5.5% | All types of beer | UK Northdown, UK Kent Golding, UK Chalenger | Looks like UK Challenger |
Pioneer (UK) | 8%-10% | Eli, ESB | UK Kent Golding | Mild typical English hops |
Polish Lublin | 3%-4.5% | Pilsner | US Saaz, Chezh Saaz, US Tettnanger | Noble hop, gives herbal spicy aroma |
Pride of Ringwood (Australia) | 7%-10% | Australian lagers | Galena, Cluster | Pronounced, woody, earthy, herbal aroma |
Progess (UK) | 5%-7.5% | Ales, bitters, porters | UK Kent Golding, Fuggle | Moderately strong, pleasant aroma |
Saaz (Czech) | 3%-5% | Pilsner | US Saaz, Polish Lublin | Gives soft hop notes, earthy, spicy and herbal aromas |
Saaz (US) | 3%-5% | Pilsner, camp, wheat | Czech Saaz, Polish Lublin | Delivers a mild earthy and spicy aroma |
Santiam | 5%-7.9% | Lager, Pilsner, American Ale | German Tettnanger, German Spalt, German Spalt Select | noble hops |
One hundred | 12.5%-14% | nd | Galena | Good aroma and hop characteristics |
Simcoe | 12%-14% | nd | nd | Used for flavor and hopping |
gap (English) | 4%-5.5% | Camps | US Saaz, US Tettnanger, German Spalt Select | Soft and pleasant, slightly spicy |
Spalt Select (German) | 4%-6% | Camps | US Saaz, US Tettnanger, German Spalt | Similar to Spalt |
Spalt Select (US) | 3%-5% | german lager | Tettnanger, Saaz | Moderate intense hop tone, moderately strong aroma with wild American notes |
Sterling | 6%-9% | Lager, ale, pilsner | Saaz, Polish Lublin | Herbal, spicy, pleasant aroma with a hint of citrus |
Strisslespalt (French) | 3%-5% | Plisner, camp, wheat | Mt. Hood, Crystal, Hersbrucker | Medium intensity, pleasant, hoppy |
Styrian Golding (Slovenia) | 4.5%-6% | English ales | US Fuggle, UK Fuggle, Willamette | Delicate, slightly spicy |
Target (UK) | 9.5%-12.5% | All types of beer | Fuggle, Willamette | Pleasant English intense hop aroma |
Tettnanger (US) | 3.4%-5.2% | Camp, wheat | German Spat, Czech Saaz, Santiam | Aromatic hops, mild and slightly spicy |
Tettnanger (German) | 3.5%-5.5% | Camp, el | German Spalt, German Spalt Select, US Tettnanger, Saaz | Soft and pleasant, slightly spicy, herbal |
Tomahawk | 15%-17% | El | Columbus | Hops for bitterness |
Tradition (German) | 5%-7% | Camp, pilsner | Hersbrucker, Hallertauer Mittelfruh | Looks like Hallertauer Mittelfruh |
Incredibly | 2%-4.1% | Camp, pilsner, wheat | Liberty, Hallertauer Tradition, Saaz | Somewhat similar to Saaz, fragrance similar to Hallertauer |
Vanguard | 4%-5.7% | nd | Saaz, Hallertauer Mittelfruh | noble hops |
Warrior | 15%-17% | Ale, stout | Nugget | For hopping and flavor |
Whitbred Golding Variety | 5%-7% | El | UK Kent Golding, UK Progress | Pleasant hoppy, medium intensity |
Willamette | 3.5%-6% | English ales | US Fuggle, US Tettnanger, Styrian Golding | Mild and pleasant, slightly spicy, fruity, herbal, slightly earthy |
Yalima Cluster | 6%-8.5% | nd | nd | Used for hopping |
Zeus | 13%-17% | nd | Columbus | Fragrant and pleasant |
Hop forms
Depending on the degree of processing, hops can be:
Wet – only available at harvest time. Humidity is 80% (dried – 10%), sold in different packaging. This form is being used as soon as possible. Wet hops are added as a finishing touch, they form a pronounced floral, spicy and bitter taste, sharpness and richness.. Beer with only wet hops is rarely brewed and only in the regions of production.
Whole sheet – in fact, just dried and pressed cones without additional processing. This form produces a strong bitterness and rich hop flavor.
Granulated (in pellets or pellet) hops – the most common form in home brewing. It is produced by grinding dry cones and then squeezing them out through a mold. Due to natural resins, pellets are well retained without additional binders. Pelleted hops take up less storage space, but their pellets break down in the digester or fermenter, this form is more suitable for dry hopping.

There are two types of pelleted hops on the market: T-90 and T-45. The number indicates how much of the plant material has been granulated per 100 kg of dried buds. So in T-90 hops, out of 100 kg of raw materials, 90 kg of granules are obtained, and in T-45 – 45 kg. This means that the T-45 concentration of all substances is twice as high.
To replace regular hops with pelleted hops, you need to take 90% T-90 or 45% T-45 of the indicated amount of wholeleaf hops.
Hop extract – often used by industrial breweries, as it requires very accurate dosage calculations when adding, which is difficult to do for small small brew volumes. The extracts are commonly brewed into bitter styles of beer because the percentage of alpha acids is known exactly.

Hop Powder – a new form of hops, it is a concentrated product that reduces plant waste. While it is at the testing stage.

Hop producing countries
Beginning brewers believe that all characteristics are determined by the hop variety. In fact, the growing region is of paramount importance. A little less important is the year of harvest.
USA (Oregon, Idaho and Washington) – since 2015 the world leader in hop cultivation due to almost ideal climatic conditions: 300 days of sunshine, regular rains and snow cover in winter, which gives the soil a lot of moisture. Both bitter and aromatic hops are grown in the country. Notable American hop varieties include Amarillo, Cascade, Columbus, Centennial Citra and CTZ.
Germany (Hallertau region) – climatic conditions are in many ways reminiscent of the north of the United States. Until 2015 Hallertau was the leader in hop production in the world. Demand is provided by nearby Munich breweries. Known varieties of German hops: Polaris, Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Tettnang, Mandarina Bavaria.
Czech Republic (Zatec region) – although this country is not the most suitable place for growing hops, the constant demand for Žatec hops allows the Czech Republic to hold the fifth place in the world in growing hops. Czech hops lack bitterness, but are characterized by herbaceous, floral and earthy notes. Popular varieties of Czech hops: Saaz (Zatec), Premiant, Bor.
United Kingdom (Kent) – Thanks to a growing craft beer market, British hop-growing is recovering after decades of decline. The mild climate and salty sea breezes from the North Sea make it possible to grow hops in Kent with earthy and herbaceous notes. Notable English hop varieties include East Kent Goldings, Fuggle, Admiral and Phoenix.
Australia and New Zealand Abundant sun and frequent rains produce hops with a high alpha acid content and a unique lemon flavor. Australian and New Zealand hops are in short supply as the Asian beer market is booming and hop growers can’t keep up with demand. Well-established local varieties: Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Wakatu, Riwaka.
France (Alsace and the Rhine Valley) – French hop-growing is up to the mark, but the country has given the world only one known variety – Strisselspalt, which is similar in characteristics to the German Hallertau – gives the beer a rounded spicy, grassy, fruity-floral aroma.
Slovenia – local hop growers based on Fuggle developed a unique hop variety Styrian Goldings – more fruity, but with earthy notes of its English “parent”.
Hop storage conditions
Without vacuum packaging, hops quickly oxidize and lose their useful properties, so transparent film and plastic bags are not suitable for storage.

The best option is to buy beer hops in an opaque vacuum foil bag that has been stored in the refrigerator or frozen.
The fresher the hops, the better, optimally – up to 1 year. Over time, even with proper storage, the quality of the buds deteriorates.