American Beer And Hops: Exploring The Connection

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, Humulus lupulus, and are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer. They are also used in herbal teas and soft drinks. Hops have been grown for thousands of years in parts of Europe, New Zealand, and the United States.

Hops are most famous for their bitterness, but they also provide a variety of flavours from floral to minty. American hops are popular because of their intensity—they are floral, bright, and citrusy.

American hops are often grown in Washington and Oregon and are used in many popular beers. Here are some American beers that contain hops:

- Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

- Founders Brewing Mosaic Promise

- Odell Brewing Myrcenary DIPA

- Dogfish Head 90 Minute

- Victory Brewing Prima Pils

- Green Flash West Coast IPA

- Ballast Point Sculpin

- Ice Harbor Fresh Hop

- Three Floyd’s Alpha King

- Russian River Pliny the Elder

American hops vs. Noble hops

The term "noble hops" is used by brokers to sell hops and by brewers to sell beer. The term was first used by an author surveying the best hops available in the 19th century. The four classic noble varieties are Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tettnang, Saaz, and Spalt Spalter. These hops are classic European varieties that are responsible for the signature flavours of pilsners and other Continental lagers.

American Noble Hops, on the other hand, are a Pacific Northwest twist on noble hop varieties. They are designed to impart uniquely noble hop characteristics while still maintaining the aromas and flavours of popular American varieties grown in the Pacific Northwest. American Noble Hops are made from the strig, bract, and bracteole of whole cone hops. They have less alpha acid and aromatic oils, resulting in more nuanced characteristics that work well in lighter styles like Pilsner, Kölsch, and Blonde Ale.

American Noble Hops are a low-alpha, nuanced solution for brewers looking to add an American twist to old-world brewing styles. They can be used at any point during the pre-boil and boil stages of the brewing process, as well as in active fermentation dry hop scenarios and dry-hopping.

In contrast to noble hops, American hops share the same name but are from a different region. For example, Tettnanger hops are grown in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, while Tettnang hops are grown in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

Wet hopping vs. dry hopping

Wet hopping and dry hopping are two different processes used in brewing to add hops, those pinecone-like flowers from the Humulus Lupulus plant, to the mix. Hops lend a distinct hoppy aroma and bitterness to beer, as well as keeping it fresh for longer.

Wet Hopping

Wet hopping involves using freshly picked hops that are un-kilned and therefore "wet". This process is typically carried out during the annual hop harvest season, which falls between late August and September. Brewers will use freshly picked hops, rushing them straight to the brewery where they are tossed into the boil to maintain their freshness. The hops are typically used within 24-48 hours of being picked. Wet hops are approximately 80% moisture, and this needs to be reduced in a kiln right after harvest to avoid the risk of mould or warehouse fires. Wet hops are often used by American craft brewers located in hop-growing areas, such as the Pacific Northwest, where more than 75% of American hops are grown. Beers produced with un-kilned hops are sometimes referred to as "wet hop", "fresh hop", "green hop", or "harvest" beers. These beers have a short shelf life and are known for their uniquely "green", delicate character with grassy, chlorophyll-like aromatics.

Dry Hopping

Dry hopping, on the other hand, is a step in the brewing process where hops are added after the boil, either during fermentation or conditioning. This technique boosts the hop aroma of the beer without enhancing the bitterness that is usually associated with hops. The hops are typically left to soak in the finished beer for several days or weeks. Dry hops are the most common form of hops used in beer, with the majority of hops that are harvested being dried right after picking. These hops are then shaped into small pellets that can be stored and used for up to three years. Beers labelled as "dry-hopped" are referring to this process of adding hops after the boil, rather than using dried hops.

Both wet and dry hopping techniques can lend beer those signature 'hoppy' aromas and flavours sought by craft beer lovers. Hops added earlier in the brewing process tend to give off a more bitter flavour, while hops added later infuse the beer with more hoppy aromas. Wet hopping is a more recent innovation, largely emerging in the past 10 years, and offers a fresher, cleaner flavour and aroma that can't be duplicated with dry hops.

Hops grown in Oregon and Washington

Hops are a vital aspect of the economy of the Pacific Northwest, with the region producing nearly the entire US supply and over 30% of the world's supply. The Pacific Northwest is an optimal location for hop production due to its unique terroir and irrigation resources. The region's mild climate and abundant rainfall provide ideal conditions for commercial hop production.

Oregon is the third-largest hop-producing state in the US. The hop-growing region of the state is exclusively located in Oregon's Willamette Valley, which lies between the Coast Range and Cascade Mountains and is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. The valley's rich soil, mild climate, and abundant rainfall provide ideal conditions for commercial hop production. Oregon's climate is also favourable for growing high-quality aroma-type hops, and several alpha-type varieties also favour the state's climate and consistently yield higher than average harvests.

The first commercial hop yard in Oregon was planted in 1867 by William Wells of Buena Vista. From 1905 to 1915, Oregon was the nation's largest hop producer, and it regained this title from 1922 to 1943. By the 1930s, the state's hop growers had expanded production to include over 20,000 acres of hops. In recent years, Oregon farmers have worked an average of 5,000-6,000 acres a year to produce between 8 and 11 million pounds of hops (about 5% of the world's supply). Hops are now grown commercially only in Marion and Polk counties, where fewer than 30 families work less than 400 acres per crop on average. A majority of these families are third and fourth-generation hop growers.

The main hop-growing region in the US is Washington State, which produces about 25% of the world's supply of hops. Washington's Yakima Valley is one of the nation's leading hop-growing regions, along with Oregon's Willamette Valley. A recently released report confirms that hops are impacted by terroir. For example, Mosaic hops grown in Oregon's Willamette Valley are not the same as those grown in Washington's Yakima Valley. A particular variety of hop will exhibit different characteristics depending on exactly where and how it was grown.

Hops grown in Germany and the Czech Republic

Hops have been grown in Germany and the Czech Republic for centuries. In Germany, the first documented hop cultivation was in 736 in the Hallertau region, while the first mention of the use of hops in brewing in the country was in 1079. In the Czech Republic, the first documented hop cultivation in Bohemia was in the 8th century CE, and hops were exported to neighbouring countries as early as the beginning of the second millennium CE.

Today, Germany and the US are the world's largest producers of hops, together accounting for over two-thirds of the global hop market. The Czech Republic is the third-largest producer, with an almost one-tenth share of the global hop harvest. In 2017, the area of hop fields in the Czech Republic reached 4,945 hectares, the most in the previous seven years. The increase in hop fields in the country has been driven by the demand for quality Czech hops and the weak European harvest in 2015.

The most popular variety of hops grown in the Czech Republic is Saaz, which is used extensively in Bohemia to flavour beer, including the Czech pilsner. Saaz hops are also used in the production of Stella Artois, a Belgian pilsner. In Germany, popular varieties of hops include Hallertau, Spalt, and Tettnang.

American hops in IPAs

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, Humulus lupulus, and are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stabilising agent in beer. Hops add floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas to beer.

American hops are popular because of their intensity. They are floral, bright, and citrusy, and are used in India Pale Ales (IPAs), American Pale Ales, and Imperial IPAs.

American hops are grown in Washington and Oregon. The most popular American hops are:

• Cascade: Used in IPAs, APAs, and other American Ales.
• Centennial: Used in IPAs, Pale Ales, and Bitters.
• Simcoe: Used in IPAs, Double IPAs, and Pale Ales.
• Citra: Used in IPAs, Pale Ales, and Stouts.
• Amarillo: Used in IPAs, Pale Ales, and American Pale Ales.
• Mosaic: Used in IPAs, Pale Ales, and Stouts.

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