Hops ’til you Drop

Since the beginning of craft brewing, four-plus decades ago, hops have become the star of the show. Yes, malt and yeast still play important roles in the production, but the tiny cone with its resins and oils has contributed more to beer variety than any other ingredient. One style alone, the IPA, has grown from next to nothing through most of the 20th century, to the clear champion of craft brewing, about three to four times more popular than any other beer. Different varieties of hops define this style, and their ability to produce a whole panoply of flavours is what keeps it popular.

Since hop cultivation began in the 700s AD in Bavaria, its role in brewing has expanded and contracted depending on location and style of brewing. Hops initially supplanted gruit (a collection of herbs, plants, and spices) as the bittering agent to counter malt’s sweetness, but it also became valued for its preservative qualities in the era before reliable refrigeration. Several varieties of hops were cultivated throughout Europe, and soon identifiable flavour profiles were sought for different beer styles.

As hops began getting exported to North America (and elsewhere), their role in beer started to change throughout the era of Big Brewing domination beginning in the mid-1800s. Hops became less important as cold storage expanded and the lagers of the era grew more and more banal, culminating in the introduction of light beer in the 1970s.

Some beers during this period did try to stand out by having some unique (subtle) hoppy aspects, but they were overshadowed by the hundreds of brands that relied on the simplicity of a low hop flavour.

The craft beer movement was born out of the disdain for these mundane beers, and it was the growth of the development of new hops (especially in the Northwestern US) that led the way. Today, the US is the largest hop grower in the world, about 10 percent more than Germany. All other countries harvest only a fraction of what these two countries produce (around 105-116 million pounds each a year). Canada ranks 13th in the world with just over 1.4 million pounds produced in 2021.

In Alberta, there are about 25 acres of commercial hops on about 10 different farms. There are 19 different varieties grown by members of the Alberta Hop Producers’ Association. Not surprisingly, American Northwest hops are the most popular here, with Chinook, Cascade, Centennial, Mt. Hood, Nugget, Willamette, and others leading the way.

Hops get sorted into three groups representing what they are best used for; aroma, bittering, or dual (meaning they are good for both). Furthermore, they are divided into broad basic descriptors such as floral, fruity, citrus, herbal, earthy/grassy, evergreen, and spicy. There are over 250 commercially available hop types, each with its own unique attributes

Below are a few popular hops with their country of origin, some of their flavour/aroma components and their release date to the public (if known). Many varieties are now planted all over the world, mostly between the 35th and 55th parallels, an even wider range than grapevines grow. However, much like grapes, terroir matters, and they are prone to yearly fluctuations of weather, which can affect their inherent properties. New hops are being developed all the time, and even experimental hops are used in commercial brewing.

Australia

Galaxy (Dual, 2009) – tropical fruit, passion fruit, peach, pineapple, mango, melon, citrus, grassy.

Vic Secret (Dual, 2013) – pineapple, passion fruit, pine, herbal.

Canada

Sasquatch (Dual) – The only proprietary, trademarked Canadian hop variety, with orange or tangerine qualities and floral lemon notes. Released in 2018.

Czech Republic/Czechia

Saaz, (Aroma, 11th century) – earthy, floral, spicy.

Germany

Most German hops have been around for several centuries but have been continuously cloned and replanted over the years to combat disease, mildew, and other problems.

Hallertauer Mittelfrueh (Aroma) – spicy, floral, earthy, herbal.

Tettnang (Aroma) – floral, spicy. Spalt (Aroma) – earthy, spicy. Magnum (Bittering, late 1980s) – citrus, spicy.

New Zealand

Nelson Sauvin (Dual, 2000) – white wine, gooseberries, tropical fruit.

Motueka (Dual, 1998) – tropical fruit, citrus, lime.

Wai-iti (Aroma, 2011) – peach, apricot.

Slovenia

Styrian Golding (Aroma, early 1900s) –earthy, floral, fruity, white pepper, citrus.

Uk

East Kent Goldings (Aroma, early 19th century) – floral, lavender, honey, spice, earthy.

Fuggle (Aroma, 1861) – earthy, herbal, woody, earthy.

Usa

Citra (Dual, 2008) – citrus, grapefruit, orange, mango, lime, passion fruit, lychee. Mosaic (Dual, 2012) – tropical fruit, citrus, mango, pineapple, tangerine, pine, earthy.

CTZ (Dual, 2002) – CTZ is an acronym for Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus, three different trade names for the same variety of hop. Characteristics of black pepper, licorice, curry, and citrus.

Cascade (Dual, 1972) – floral, citrus, grapefruit.

Simcoe (Dual, 2000) – citrus, berry, earthy.

It’s entirely possible that you may get more and/or different flavours or aromas out of a hop. The best way to explore is to grab a single hop beer (usually an IPA or pale ale) with a named variety. That is easier said than done, because most beers use a combination of hops, and very few beers even say what hops they contain. However, if you search high and low, you’ll find some. The alternative is to take up home brewing. Then you get to buy hops for your own beers, or grow your own.