by A Bergs

Created on: June 13, 2008   Last Updated: November 07, 2008

"Hops are to beer what grapes are to wine."

Samuel Adams Brewery founder Jim Koch made this excellent comparison in a television commercial, putting into simple terms the very complex and integral role hops plays in the brewing process.

To understand the importance of hops, it is essential to know the impact the herb has in our beer. Hops primarily affect the flavor, aroma, bitterness, and longevity of a brew. In other words, hops controls how your beer tastes, what it smells like, and how long it lasts.

Sounds like a pretty important ingredient.

Certainly there are other factors that make up the nature of beer, but taking hops out of most common recipes is like leaving the cheese off a pizza: some people may enjoy it, but it's not what we're used to.

An easy comparison is to actually think of hops like cheese. There are many different types, all with unique tastes and properties. Using one particular type of hops or cheese will affect the overall taste and smell of the final recipe (think cheddar v. Swiss cheese on a sandwich).

Going back to Jim Koch's statement about hops being like grapes to wine, this is never truer than when we look at the variety of hops available. Wines are characterized by the types of grapes they utilize. Some common varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling. Grapes give a wine it's essential flavor and aroma. Flavor and aroma, sound familiar?

While beer isn't classified so closely by the types of hops used, there are almost as many varieties. Some popular US types are Continental and Columbus hops. Sam Adams beer uses Noble Hops from Bavaria, Germany which affect the aroma more than the flavor.

So just how do hops affect the brewing process? Glad you asked. When hops are added to the boiling mix of ingredients they break down releasing different types of acids that impact the flavor and aroma of the beer. The length of time hops are allowed to brew affects the impact of the hops on the final product.

Adding hops early in the boiling stage affects the bitterness of the beer's taste while adding them later has more of an impact on the aroma. Beers with a significantly bitter taste like an IPA will include hops during the entire boiling process and some types of beer only call for them in the last few minutes or even after the boiling is done!

Lastly, hops has a hidden quality as it serves as a natural preservative. That means it not only gives beer its taste, but it keeps it fresh so we can keep them in the fridge ready to enjoy anytime.

So while the types of hops used in a beer typically don't show up on the ingredient label of your favorite brew, the role they play is perhaps more important than any other ingredient in the brewing process.

Cheers!

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