How to choose hops for beer – important parameters

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)

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.