The Hoppy Truth: Do All Beers Have Hops?

Hops are the green, cone-shaped flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant, a cousin of cannabis. They are one of four essential ingredients in beer, alongside barley, yeast, and water. Hops add bitterness, flavour, and aroma to beer, and also act as a preservative. However, not all beers contain hops. Beers without hops are sweeter and thicker than modern beers, and instead use herbs and spices.

Hops are flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant

Humulus lupulus is a perennial herbaceous plant that can grow up to 10 metres (33 feet) tall and live up to 20 years. It is a climbing plant with new shoots appearing in early spring and dying back to a cold-hardy rhizome in autumn. The species is triggered by the longer summer days to flower, usually around July or August in the Northern Hemisphere.

The female flowers of Humulus lupulus are formed in clusters at the tips of the plant's stalks and branch tips. Each cluster can have 10 to 50 pairs of flowers, enclosed by a green or yellow bract. These female flowers have no petals but have long styles. The male and female flowers are found on separate plants, and both are required to produce seeds. The flowers are wind-pollinated.

The Humulus lupulus plant is grown commercially for its seeds, which are dried and used as a flavouring agent in beer production. The hops contain acids and oils that impart bitterness, flavour, and stability to the finished beer. They add a desirable bitterness and help to retain the foam and freshness of the beer.

The use of hops in the brewing process is crucial, as it balances out the sweetness of the beer. Without hops, beer would taste too sweet for most drinkers. Hops can be added at different stages of the brewing process, such as wet hopping or dry hopping, to achieve varying levels of bitterness.

Hops balance the sweetness of malt

Hops are an essential ingredient in beer, adding bitterness to balance the sweetness of the malt. Without hops, beer would be overly sweet and unpalatable to most drinkers.

Malted cereal grains are the foundation of beer. They are the primary source of sugar, which is fermented by yeast to create alcohol and carbon dioxide. The most common malted grain is barley, but others include wheat, rye, and oats. The malting process involves controlled sprouting and kilning of the grains, which breaks down their hard, starchy insides into simpler carbohydrates that can be utilised by the brewer.

Hops, the cone-shaped flowers of the female hops plant (*Humulus lupulus*), are the "spice" of beer. They provide bitterness, flavour, and aroma, ranging from citrus and pine to earthy and spicy notes. The level of bitterness depends on the alpha acid content of the hops, the amount used, and the length of boiling. Bitterness comes from alpha acids, which must be chemically altered through boiling to be utilised. The longer the hops are boiled, the better, as it gives them time to create a perfect balance between bitter and sweet.

Different types of hops can be used in the brewing process, each providing distinct flavours and aromas. Noble hops have a zesty, botanical taste; English hops have an earthy, zesty, sweet taste; American hops are very bitter, citrusy, and bold; while New World hops have a tangy, fruity flavour.

The choice of hops depends on the desired style and flavour profile of the beer. For example, cream beers use aged hops to achieve a silky flavour, while blonde beers involve roasting the hops beforehand to add a slightly sweet flavour. Wheat beers, on the other hand, are less bitter due to the small number of hops used, resulting in a slightly citrusy flavour.

The key to creating a well-balanced beer lies in matching the right malt with the right hops and achieving the correct balance between the two. Brewers may use a combination of pale ale, crystal, and chocolate malts, along with wheat and roasted barley, to create a smooth malt balance. This is then offset by carefully selected hops to achieve the desired level of bitterness and flavour.

In summary, hops play a crucial role in beer-making by providing bitterness that balances the sweetness of the malt. The interplay between hops and malt creates a harmonious flavour profile, ensuring the beer is not overly sweet or bitter and resulting in a pleasant drinking experience.

Beers without hops

Hops are a flower or plant cone that gives beer its distinct flavour and aroma, adding a touch of bitterness to the drink. They also act as a preservative, helping to retain the foam and freshness of the beer. While most beers contain hops, there are some hop-free options available for those who are allergic or prefer less bitterness in their drink. Here is a list of beers without hops:

Gruit Beers

Gruit ales are beers that were brewed before hops became a primary ingredient in beer-making. They use various combinations of herbs and spices, such as yarrow, bog myrtle, marsh rosemary, juniper berries, mugwort, wormwood, and heather, to create a complex and unique taste. Gruit ales offer a different drinking experience compared to traditional hoppy beers and are making a comeback with craft brewers.

Belgian Dubels and Tripels

These beers are known for their intricate and rich taste, with hints of caramel, toffee, spice, and dark fruit. They have a more subdued hop presence, making them a good option for those looking for less bitterness in their drink. Belgian Tripels, such as La Fin Du Monde by Unibroue Brewery, are strong and complex, with a fruity and spicy aroma and a slight tartness.

Wheat Beers

Wheat beers are brewed with a significant amount of wheat, in addition to barley, giving them a light and refreshing taste. They are an excellent choice for those seeking a beer with no hops as they offer a flavorful yet less bitter experience. Wheat beers, such as the White Ale by Hitachino Nest Brewery, have a refreshing blend of wheat, orange, and subtle spices.

Lambics and Fruit Beers

Lambics and fruit beers are known for their distinct sour taste, often with hints of raspberries and other fruits. They tend to have minimal hop content, making them a good choice for those avoiding hops. Lindemans Framboise Lambic by Lindemans Brewery is a raspberry-made beer with a pleasant sweet fragrance and a well-balanced flavour.

Smoked Beers

Smoked beers, such as Schlenkerla Rauchbier by Brauerei Heller-Trum, have a unique smoky flavour and aroma similar to barbecue or smoked meat. Their minimal to no hop content makes them a good option for those looking for a beer without hops.

Samuel Adams Double Bock

This hopless beer by the popular Boston-based brewery Samuel Adams is made with several herbs and spices, including bay leaves, coriander, and black tea, as alternatives to hops. It has a pleasant aroma with hints of caramel, licorice, and a malty finish.

Marigold by Scratch Brewing Company

Marigold is a Saison Beer that uses whole marigold roots, stems, and flowers instead of hops. It has a slightly hazy orange colour with floral, earthy, and citrus notes and is aged in neutral oak barrels using wild yeast. With a low ABV of 5.1%, it's a mild beer that can be enjoyed without worrying about getting drunk.

Hard Wired Nitro Porter

For those who prefer beers without hops from a flavour perspective, the Hard Wired Nitro by Left Hand Brewing Company is a creamy milk stout carbonated with nitrogen. The mix of coffee and mocha flavours overpower any hoppy traces this dark drink may have.

Fraoch Heather Ale by Williams Brothers Brewing Company

This unique hop-free beer is one of the oldest styles of ale in the world, brewed with malted barley, sweet gale, and flowering heather. It has a heavy scent of heather flowers and hints of honey and malt sweetness.

While finding beers without hops in grocery stores and mainstream breweries can be challenging, several craft brewers in the USA and Europe are revisiting ancient brewing methods, creating intriguing and complex hop-free beers. These beers offer a refreshing and unique drinking experience, perfect for those looking to explore new flavours beyond traditional hoppy beers.

Hop varieties and their unique flavours

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, also known as humulus lupulus, and they bring balance to the beer world. They are added to beer during the brewing process to add a bitter taste, irresistible flavours and act as a preservative.

There are three types of hops: bittering hops, aroma hops and dual-purpose hops. Bittering hops, also known as kettle hops, are added at the start of the boil and are boiled for about an hour. Aroma hops, also known as finishing hops, are added for their flavouring and are boiled for a shorter amount of time. Dual-purpose hops are used for both bittering and aroma.

There are hundreds of different hop flavours and aromas. Some hops are intense, while others are mild. Some are fruity, while others are more resinous and pine-flavoured. Many "new world" hops have extreme citrus flavours, such as orange and grapefruit, while American and Southern Hemisphere hops have mild-to-strong citrus flavours. Fruit flavours in hops are usually broken down into tropical fruit, stone fruits, green fruits and berries. Hops with floral aromas usually have high amounts of rose oxide, geraniol, geraniol acetate, citronellol and neral oils. Many hops also have strong pine or resinous flavours and aromas, and some have less obvious flavours like leather, cedar and whiskey.

• Bravo (Origin: USA): Complete with pleasant fruit aromas and zesty hints of flowers, oranges and vanilla, Bravo is a "super-bitter" variety of hops that is popular with pale ales.
• Admiral (Origin: UK): With alpha acid percentages ranging from 13-16%, Admiral's aroma profiles range from citrus to woody, with hints of herbal flavours.
• Magnum (Origin: Germany): Magnum is primarily a bittering hop variety known for its extreme bittering abilities. The taste spectrum ranges from pepper and nutmeg to a slight citrus tint.
• Fuggle (Origin: UK): Earthy, woody and full-bodied, Fuggle is one of the most revered flavouring hops in the world. Its earthy tones make it perfect for English-style ales, bitters and porters.
• Cascade (Origin: USA): The most popular hop in American craft brewing, Cascade is a hop variety with unique and powerful floral tones and a spicy and exquisite citrus character. This aroma palette is well-balanced by its bittering potential and medium intensity, making it one of the most recognisable tastes in the industry. It's perfect for IPAs and American Ales.
• Hallertauer Classic (Origin: Germany): The classic German hops variety is an aroma hop associated with German-style lagers, bocks and weissbier. This hop has bright fruit underpinnings and harmonic bitterness, with spicy, herbal and fruity notes.
• Centennial (Origin: USA): Very similar to Cascade hops, Centennial dual-purpose hops are characterised by pine and citrus notes, as well as a distinct hint of citrus. The mix of delicate and aggressive aromas makes it a popular choice for craft beer enthusiasts.
• Chinook (Origin: USA): With alpha acid percentages ranging from 11.5-15%, Chinook is a versatile hop variety that can be used for dry hopping to create smoky flavours. It has hints of grapefruit balanced out by the taste of spices and pine.
• Amarillo (Origin: USA): Amarillo hops have a flowery, citrus-like aroma with medium bittering value. They are a good substitute for Cascade hops due to their similar citrus nature.
• Citra (Origin: USA): Citra hops are a high alpha Hallertauer hybrid that imparts interesting citrus and tropical fruit characters to beer.
• Mosaic (Origin: USA): Mosaic hops are a daughter of the YCR 14 cv hop variety and a Nugget-derived male. They have high alpha acids and tropical, blueberry, tangerine, floral and earthy aromas.

Hops are preservatives

The use of hops as a preservative in beer dates back to the 1700s when Michael Floyd, along with his two sons Nicholas and Simon, brewed Indiana Pale Ale. They discovered that using an excessive amount of hops helped the beer withstand the months-long journey in a cask. This led to the realisation that hops are a preservative, and to this day, many foods are preserved with hops.

The preservative quality of hops is particularly important for beers that need to be stored for extended periods or transported over long distances. Hops help prevent the beer from spoiling and maintain its freshness. However, it is important to note that while hops extend the shelf life of beer, they do not make it last indefinitely.

The type and amount of hops used can also impact the preservative qualities of the beer. Different geographic regions produce different types of hops, resulting in variations in flavour and aroma. Noble hops, for example, have a zesty and botanic taste, while American hops are known for their bold, bitter, and citrusy flavour. Additionally, the timing of when the hops are added during the brewing process can affect the preservation qualities of the beer.

In summary, hops are a crucial ingredient in beer, not only for their ability to impart bitterness and flavour but also for their preservative qualities. Their antimicrobial properties and ability to prevent bacterial infections make them an essential component in the brewing process, ensuring the beer remains stable and fresh for a longer period.

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