THE ROLE OF HOPS

Family: Cannabaceae

Genus: Humulus

Species: Humulus lupulus

Latin Name: Flos Lupuli

Native to temperate North America, Eurasia and South America.

Hops is a tall, climbing perennial. The green stems are pencil-thick and covered in six rows of climbing barbs. They do not turn woody and can be trained to grow up raised wire runners to more than 9 m. Hops grow on trellises that are usually 5,5 m in height. The male flowers are yellowish-green and inconspicuous, while the female flowers are richly blossomed, producing a yellowish fruit. The plant has a very strong odour and an extremely bitter taste.

Parts used: the dried strobiles.

Key ingredients:

• bitter principles (lupulin containing humulon, lupulon and valerianic acid)
• volatile oil
• flavonoids
• polyphenolic tannins
• estrogenic substances
• asparagine
• vitamins and minerals (especially niacin, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, selenium and vitamin C)

Some interesting facts:

Hops was first used to brew beer in England in the 16th century, it aroused great opposition and a petition to Parliament described it as a «wicked weed» that would «endanger the people».

Hops have been in regular use as a beer-making ingredient for approximately 1,000 years. It gives beer its distinctive flavour and aroma, acts as a natural preservative and is a key component in foam quality.

The hop plant has both male and female forms: the cones on the female plant are used in the brewing process, while male hops are used for breeding the plant.