HOPS: ESSENTIAL FOR BEER PRODUCTION

Hops are one of the four essential ingredients for beer production, and they give beer its typical bitter taste.

HOP PLANT

Hops are a flowering plant that belongs to the Cannabaceae family, and their cultivation originated in Germany. They can grow up to 7 meters tall and are typical of central-northern Europe. This plant prefers cool environments and well-cultivated and fertile soils. .

Hops bloom in the summer months, while pollination occurs in the autumn season. Hops feel rough to the touch. After flowering, they can be harvested when the hops cones are light green and have a strong smell. Subsequently, before being used for beer production, a drying process takes place to eliminate moisture. The drying process results in two different formats:

• Plug: small square-shaped leaf pieces
• Pellet: small compressed pieces of crushed hops

TYPES OF HOPS

• Aroma hops: inserted in the last 30 minutes of boiling to release the aroma, and have an acidity of less than 5%
• Bitter hops: inserted before boiling, and have a greater acidity, giving beer its bitter taste

Examples of aroma hops include Tettnang (typical of the Rhineland) and Hallertau Millerfruh (Munich), which has a floral aroma. Examples of bitter hops include Brewers Gold (grown all over the planet) and Fuggle (originating from English zones), which is one of the most bitter and resinous..

FUNCTIONS OF HOPS

The main function, of course, is to give the final product its bitter taste and enrich the aroma. However, hops also play another important role as a natural preservative, thanks to its antibacterial properties. In addition, it makes beer clearer by helping to coagulate proteins and increases foam stability.