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Hops are a climbing plant belonging to the hemp family and are grown on approximately 47,766 hectares worldwide. Half of the world's production comes from the USA, while Germany is the second largest player with 20,144 hectares. In Switzerland, by the way, hops are grown on just 18 hectares (roughly equivalent to 25 soccer fields). 90% of the hops harvested worldwide are used for brewing beer. Only female hop cones are used for this purpose, as only these contain the valuable tannins - more on this later.
The first hop seedlings venture to the surface as soon as the first rays of spring sun kiss the sandy soil. They can reach a height of seven meters and grow until September - at a maximum rate of 30 cm per day. To ensure shelf life, the hop cones are dried immediately after harvesting. For this purpose, they are placed in a so-called kiln, where they are heated to between 62 and 65° C, so that their moisture content drops from over 80 to around 10%. As soon as the hops come out of the kiln, they are ready for further processing.
Today, however, the cones as such are only added directly to the wort in this form to a limited extent. In fact, the majority of hop powder is now used, in which the ground cones are pressed into "pellets", or hop extract, in which the bitter and aromatic substances are "washed out" under high pressure with the aid of liquid carbon dioxide.
Of the four main ingredients in beer - water, barley, yeast and hops - hops undoubtedly have the greatest influence on the aroma. It is not for nothing that it is affectionately called "the master brewer's seasoning". In general, hops can be divided into two main types. Bitter hops are characterized by a relatively high proportion of so-called alpha acid, which gives beer its bitter note. Aroma hops, on the other hand, are richer in aroma oils and thus give the beer a fruity note.
However, hops are also indispensable for the shelf life of beer. That's why in the 19th century, ales intended for long sea voyages from England to India were brewed with an additional third of hops and higher alcohol content to survive the crossing unscathed. And so, you probably guessed it, India Pale Ale was born. Last but not least, the hops make their contribution in terms of aesthetics: their tannins also ensure that the foam crown attains its majestic firmness and does not collapse immediately after pouring.
Schneider Weisse, the proud oldest wheat beer brewery in Bavaria, has chosen the perfect home in the small town of Kelheim. Because right on its doorstep, so to speak, lies the Hallertau, the largest contiguous hop-growing area in the world. More than 30 different species grow here every year under ideal conditions and are just waiting to land in the kettles of the Schneider brewmasters a few kilometers away. In the "Hellen Weisse," for example, a blend of the mild and slightly sweet "Hallertauer Tradition" variety and the flowery, fruity "Hallertauer Saphir" variety provides the unmistakable taste of Bavarian joie de vivre.
Our colleagues at Kronenburg are also committed to regionality and use a very special variety for their "1664 Lager", which is described by connoisseurs as the "caviar of hops": the Strisselspalt. This grows mainly in the region around Strasbourg and impresses with its extraordinarily fine aroma, which is brought out particularly well in 1664 Lager thanks to the blend of selected malts and exclusive yeast cultures.
But sometimes it has to be a little more exotic: At Open Gate Brewery, Guinness' in-house experimental kitchen, the brewmasters have come up with something very special. For their "Hop House 13," they combine Galaxy, Topaz and Mosaic hops (from the U.S. and Australia) to create an overall bouquet with aromas of apricot and peach. Incidentally, the beer owes its name to the former warehouse with the number 13, where in fact the hops are still kept today.
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