American Beers With Hoppy Twists: Miller's Choice

Miller Lite is a popular American beer, ranking third in a list of the most popular American beers. It is a light pilsner with a unique blend of hops and a special brewing process that gives it a rich taste and a light body. It is brewed with Galena hops and specially grown barley to give it a medium malt and hop aroma. Miller is also said to use skunk-proof extracts and triple hops brewing.

American hops are more intense than Noble hops

American hops are known for their intensity, with higher levels of alpha acids and aromatic oils, resulting in a stronger, more bitter flavour. In contrast, Noble hops, grown in specific regions of Germany and the Czech Republic, are considered "Old World hops" and are characterised by their earthy qualities, subtle bitterness, and strong aromatics.

American hops, such as those grown in Washington and Oregon, tend to be floral, bright, and citrusy. The Citra hop, for example, has a strong yet smooth floral and citrus aroma and flavour, with notes of grapefruit, peach, melon, and passion fruit. The Cascade hop is another popular variety used in American-style IPAs. These American hops have higher levels of alpha acids, which contribute to their more intense and bitter characteristics.

Noble hops, on the other hand, have lower levels of alpha acids, resulting in a more nuanced and subtle flavour profile. They are known for their earthy and aromatic qualities, with a slight bitterness. This makes them well-suited for lighter styles of beer, such as Pilsners, Kölsch, and Blonde Ales.

The difference in alpha acid content between American hops and Noble hops is quite significant. American hops, with their higher alpha acid content, can provide a stronger bitterness and more intense flavours. Noble hops, with lower alpha acid levels, impart a more delicate bitterness and subtle aromatics, making them a better choice for brewers looking for a softer hop character in their beers.

American Noble Hops, a hybrid variety, combines the characteristics of both American and Noble hops. They are designed to have the noble qualities of low alpha acids and high aromatics while retaining the unique regional characteristics of American hops grown in the Pacific Northwest. This results in a distinct flavour profile with pleasant bitterness and the aromas of higher resin varieties. American Noble Hops are created through a proprietary cryogenic separation process, resulting in a "de-bittered" hop with a nuanced flavour that is perfect for adding an American twist to old-world brewing styles.

Hops are added at different stages of the brewing process

Bittering hops are added early in the process to impart bitterness, as they release more alpha acids the longer they boil. They are usually boiled for 60 minutes, although some recipes call for as little as 30 minutes. All beers have bittering hops to balance the sweetness of the malt.

Finishing hops are added towards the end of the brewing process to add aroma without extra bitterness. These hops are added during the last 5 minutes of the boil or at flame out (when the kettle is removed from the heat).

Dual-purpose hops are added at different stages of the brewing process to extract both bittering and finishing qualities.

The timing of hop addition is crucial, as the longer hops are exposed to heat, the more likely they are to produce bitterness instead of flavour. Most hops oils deplete by half or more with just 15 minutes of boiling. Therefore, hops added post-boil will have a better chance of retaining their flavour.

Different types of hops are also used in brewing, such as whole flower/cone hops, pellet hops, hop powder and hop extracts. The choice of hop type depends on the desired outcome of the beer.

Citra hops are the most popular

Citra is a high alpha acid hop with a strong, yet smooth, floral and citrus aroma and flavour. It has specific aroma descriptors that include grapefruit, citrus, peach, melon, lime, gooseberry, passion fruit, and lychee. These tropical fruit flavours have made Citra the most popular hop for craft brewers worldwide. Citra adds a smooth bitterness when added to the boil. This is due to Citra having a fairly high alpha acid percentage, while also having enough flavour and aroma to be considered an aroma hop.

Citra overtake Cascade as the most grown hop variety in 2018 and has yet to relinquish that title. Citra has redefined what could be expected out of a hop. It helped push IPAs to the forefront of craft brewing popularity with its extreme citrus flavours. Citra is a dual-purpose hop that can be used in all hop additions throughout the brewing process.

Citra hops are known for their strong tropical fruit flavours, with notes of mango, passion fruit, and citrus. As a dual-purpose hop, Citra hops have both high alpha acids and a strong aroma, making them a great choice for both bittering and dry hopping.

Hops are added to beer within 48 hours of being harvested

Hops are added to the beer within 48 hours of being harvested to preserve maximum quality. The quality of the hops is directly related to the quality of the beer. The hops plant, Humulus lupulus, is a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. The flowers, also known as seed cones or strobiles, are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer. They impart bitterness, floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas to the beer.

The hops plant has separate female and male plants, and only female plants are used for commercial production. The cones grow high on the hop bines, and in the past, they were picked by hand. However, with the invention of the mechanical hops separator, harvesting hops became much more efficient. Hops are typically harvested at the end of summer and then dried in an oast house to reduce moisture content.

When making beer, the hops are added to the wort during the boil in three stages: bittering, flavour, and aroma. Not all beers will have the same number of hop additions; some may have only one, while others may have up to five or six additions. However, all beers will have at least one hop addition for bitterness to balance the sweetness of the malt. The same hop variety can be used for bittering, flavouring, and aroma. Adding hops at different times gives the beer more complexity.

Bittering hops are added once the wort has been collected in the kettle and a rolling boil has been achieved. They are usually boiled for 60 minutes but can be boiled for as little as 30 minutes. All beers have bittering hops to balance the sweetness of the malt and to act as a natural preservative.

Flavouring hops are added with between 15 to 30 minutes remaining in the boil. During this time, the crisp hoppy flavour will be imparted without extracting much bitterness from the hops.

Aroma hops are added during the last 5 minutes of the boil or at flame-out (when the kettle is removed from the heat). The hop oils responsible for aroma are extremely volatile and will be driven off in the steam of the boil almost immediately, so a short boil time is essential. Adding hops at flame-out will produce the maximum amount of aroma.

American hops are floral, bright, and citrusy

American hops are known for their bright, floral, and citrusy flavours. They are popular because of their intensity and are traditionally grown in Washington and Oregon.

The Citra hop, for example, has a strong, yet smooth, floral and citrus aroma and flavour. It has specific aroma descriptors that include grapefruit, citrus, peach, melon, lime, gooseberry, passion fruit and lychee. These tropical fruit flavours are characteristic of American hops.

Amarillo hops, meanwhile, have aroma notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, melon, apricot, and peach. Cascade hops are also well-known for their citrus and floral flavours.

American hops are often used in IPAs, with American IPAs accounting for 46% of craft dollar share. The Citra hop, in particular, is a favourite among craft brewers.

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