SOPHIE BLOG – SEPTEMBER 4 2016
Hop Harvest
“That beer is hoppy!” That expression is usually one of either great joy or healthy disregard depending on your perceptions of bitterness, flavour and aroma in a beer. As the craft beer industry has evolved over the last 30 years, so has the prevalence of hops in beer, especially in North America. And since the harvest season for hops is mid-August to mid-September, I thought a brief discussion about hops was in order…
You might be surprised to discover that widespread adoption of hops in beer occurred only within the last 500 years or so. That’s pretty recent when you consider the Babylonians were brewing beer over 6,000 years ago. But it’s all about taste. Fundamentally, beer made only from malted grain is quite sweet. Without some added bitterness, beer would be too sweet to enjoy in any satisfying quantity, even for the most dedicated sugar-holic. So, over the centuries, brewers have added a mixture of herbs and spices to balance the sweetness of the malt. I reckon just about every flower, herb, bark or twig has been used in one beer recipe or another. The British were known to have favoured herbs such as bog myrtle, ground ivy, and buck bean. Heather and dandelion have also been popular. However, these bitter additives have come and gone, while hops seem to have become an enduring, essential component of beer. What’s the story?
The word “hop” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “hoppan” that means “to climb”, a reference to the dramatic climbing nature of the hop vine. It is a perennial plant with a rootstock called a “crown” that grows vertical shoots reaching up to 30 feet high in a single season. Hop producers use poles and wires to create trellises that support the vine growth. While both male and female crops can be cultivated, it is the female plant that produces the desirable “cones” used for brewing. The female fruiting body (hop cone) is made up of several petal-like structures called bracts. As the cones ripen, the bases of these bracts bear glands that are filled with a yellow, pungent resinous substance known as lupulin. This resin contains the bitter alpha acids and aromatic hop oils that determine how much bitterness, flavour and aroma is available to the brewer for their beer. Additionally, these hop cones have antimicrobial properties that keep spoilage at bay and allow the beer to stay fresher longer. This is why hops are now required to be used in all beer produced in the U.S.
What’s important to note here is that adding hops to a beer is not just about adding bitterness. Yes, the bitter alpha acids offset the malt sweetness in a beer, but they also contribute to the aroma and flavour of the beer. It all depends on when the hops are added during the brewing process. Hops added early in the boil go through a process called “isomerization” – a chemical re-arrangement of the hop alpha acids that is more bitter and soluble in the wort (the infusion of ground malt with water). Hops added in the middle of the boil contribute to the beer flavour. This is distinct from hop bitterness – some beers can have little bitterness but high hop flavour and vice versa. Hops added late in the brewing process contribute aromatic traits, usually similar to the flavour characteristics. When hops are added at the end, after the fermentation process is complete, it is called “dry hopping”, and is done primarily for the purpose of aroma.
There are more than a hundred varieties of hops in the world. Every variety and the location in which they’re grown offer a unique mix of aroma and character. English hops are known for their fruity, woodsy, often grassy character. A good example of this can be found in Goose Island Honker’s Ale. Saaz hops from the orange soil in western Bohemia have a clean, distinctive spiciness. The German Hallertau Mittelfruh hops from northern Bavaria have a more herbal, minty flavour. European style lagers traditionally use these types of hops. Try a Sam Adams Boston Lager to get a sense of the Czech/German hopflavour. American-grown hops usually have flavour descriptors such as piney, resiney, or citrus. Grapefruit or pine needles often come to mind. Most American pale ales or IPAs will display these characteristics.
Remember, a “hoppy beer” isn’t just about being bitter. In fact a beer can be relatively low on the bitterness scale and have a huge hop aroma. From floral to resiny, minty to spicy, adding hops is a great tool for adding personality to a beer. So remember the next time you open a new brew – smell it, roll it around in your mouth to get a feel for the flavour, and sense that swallow at the back of the tongue to judge its bitterness. You’ll appreciate the brewer’s artful recipe all the more.