Page 17 - Thirst Magazine Issue 2 June 2017

agent are released into the beer the longer the animals. Hops are actually the flowers of the
resin is subjected to boiling temperatures. plant and are considered to be a vegetable.
The bitterness that hops lends to beer The stalks are high in fiber, which makes them
actually helps to counteract the malt sugars, a good food choice, especially when food
thus creating a balanced amount of sweetness sources are limited or scarce. The woody stalks
to the final brew. can be processed to extract the inner fibers to
OTHER KNOWN USES FOR HOPS use for making paper and other textiles.
As you can see, hops have a plethora of
While hops are most widely known in modern uses. For the purpose of this article, we will
times for use in brewing beer, research shows focus on beer-brewing hops.
that hops have a long and proud pre-brewing
history. Hops have been used for hundreds of A BEER TO PLEASE EVERY PALETTE
years in herbal medicine for relaxation, to aid Thanks to modern day technological
with sleep difficulties, as a digestive aid and innovations, careful breeding practices, the
for other issues related to the gastrointestinal growing popularity and expansion of the
tract. craft brewing industry, and a thoughtful
Traditional Chinese herbal medicine examination of beer’s extensive history
practitioners may use hops as a supplemental through the years, there truly is a beer to
treatment for certain cancers. In some cultural please everyone’s palette.
societies, hops have even been used as a way Hops, along with malts, barley, and other
to combat Tuberculosis. ingredients, are responsible for the almost
Hops were used to stuff bedding before limitless beer choices we have today. The
commercial mattresses were invented. The rising popularity of home-brewed beer has
flowers have antibacterial properties and are helped to open the craft to the average citizen.
thought to contain some level of anti-viral Being able to choose, and grow, most of your
properties as well. own beer brewing ingredients ensures that the
Hops have been used as a source of food, home brewer will have better opportunities to
often used in salads by the ancient Romans, successfully brew top quality beers they can
and have been used as food for livestock be proud of.

15 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HOPS

In the 1st century A.D., Hops plants Washington state, Oregon, and Germany is the world’s largest
1 were commonly eaten as a salad. 7 the panhandle of Idaho are 12 producer of hops, responsible for
collectively responsible for growing producing 34,000 metric tons of hops
The word “beer” was originally nearly 98% of the hops used for beer per year. In comparison, the United
2 used to indicate brew that was production in the US. States produces just slightly over
made without hops, while traditional 27,000 metric tons of hops per year.
“ales” were made with malts instead The U.S. Department of Agriculture
of hops. 8 finances the majority of hops While hops are relatively
breeding programs. 13 harmless when fed to livestock,
Organized hops cultivation such as chickens, they can cause
3 started in the 1100’s in what is To date, more than 400 different death to our beloved household pets.
now modern-day Germany. 9 compounds have been discovered
in hops compounds. Most hops farms are
Botanicals were used to balance 14 independently owned and
4 the beer and add desired levels According to Brett Porter, Goose operated family farms. These farmers
of bitterness to the brews before 10 Island Brew Master, it takes often contract with local breweries for
the widespread cultivation of hops. roughly $68,000 to grow a single acre a period that ranges from 2 to 7 years.
Botanical brews are called “Gruits.” of hops. This practice helps to protect both the
farmers and the breweries, especially
Hops impart antimicrobial The green glass used to during years when there is a high
5 properties to beer. 11 bottle Heineken beer is what demand for hops in the market.
is responsible for the sometimes
The best places to grow hops for “skunky” aroma of the beer, more Not all hops are bitter. There is
6 optimum results are in locations commonly associated with hops more 15 a variety known as “Noble Hops”
situated between the 35th and 55th famous cousin, Cannabis. It seems that lend a citrus or floral scent to beer
parallels, in both the Northern and that the green glass allows more light and trend on the sweet, not bitter end
Southern hemispheres. to reach the beer. That increased light of the hops scale.
exposure affects both the taste and
aroma of the beer.

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