Hops have been used in beer-making since the Middle Ages. The first evidence of hop cultivation dates back to the 8th century, when Charlemagne ordered that hops be planted in Bavaria. The first record of using hops is dated to the year 736 but they were not used for beer until the 11^th century. The first documented use of hops in beer was in 1079 in Germany. Though it took a few centuries to catch on, brewers made up for lost time. They quickly began to recognize the potential of hops in beer-making and incorporated them into the recipes you still make today.

After Charlemagne’s edict, hops eventually became the preferred flavoring agent for beer, as it provided a more consistent flavor and improved the beer’s shelf life. Hops were also used to make a variety of other products, including hop tea, hop oil, and hop pillows. Hop pillows were believed to help induce sleep and were commonly used in the Middle Ages. Today, hops are used primarily for beer production, but they are also used in a variety of other products, including herbal teas, essential oils, and cosmetics.

So what are hops exactly? Hops are the female flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North America but its use is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean. Beyond flavoring and preserving beer, hops have been used medicinally for a variety of ailments. The earliest known use of hops dates to the first century AD, when the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder wrote about the plant’s medicinal properties. In the Middle Ages, hops were used to treat a variety of ailments, including insomnia, digestive issues, and skin conditions.

Hops impart distinct flavors based on the variety used, ranging from earthy and floral to citrusy and spicy. Hops are also a preservative, helping to keep beer fresher for longer and providing a bitter flavor that helps balance the sweetness of the malt.

Hops are also a natural preservative which is also why they caught on in medieval Europe. They contain alpha acids, which act as a natural antibacterial agent. Alpha acids are released during the boiling process and help to inhibit the growth of bacteria, which can spoil beer. As a beer maker, you know that spoilage is an ever-present foe. Hops also contain essential oils that contribute to the flavor and aroma of beer, as well as polyphenols that act as antioxidants, helping to protect the beer from oxidation. The combination of these compounds helps to extend the shelf life of beer and keep it fresh for longer.

In addition to imparting flavor, hops are also used to add bitterness to beer. Alpha acids are also the primary source of bitterness in beer. Brewers use the alpha acid content of hops to adjust the bitterness of the beer to their desired level. A higher level of alpha acids will result in a more bitter beer, while a lower level will be less bitter. When boiled, these compounds isomerize and become more soluble, resulting in a more pronounced bitterness.

Beta acids, on the other hand, are compounds found in hops that do not isomerize and do not contribute to the bitterness of beer. Beta acids provide a variety of other flavors and aromas to beer, such as floral, herbal, and citrus. Beta acids also have antibacterial properties which help prevent spoilage.

Isomerization is a process used in beer making to convert alpha acids from hops into iso-alpha acids, which are more soluble and provide the desired bitterness to the beer. The process involves boiling the hops in the wort, which is the liquid extracted from the mashing process. During the boiling process, the alpha acids are isomerized, which means they are rearranged into a different molecular structure. This new structure makes the alpha acids more soluble and more available to the beer. The iso-alpha acids are then extracted from the wort and added to the beer to provide the desired bitterness.

The boiling temperature affects the isomerization process because it determines how much of the alpha acids are converted into iso-alpha acids. Higher temperatures will result in more of the alpha acids being converted, while lower temperatures will result in fewer of the alpha acids being converted. Therefore, brewers must carefully control the boiling temperature to ensure that the desired amount of iso-alpha acids are converted from any (early, middle or late) additions of hops to the wort.

Hops from different parts of the world have different flavors because they contain different levels of alpha acids. For example, hops from the United States tend to have higher levels of alpha acids, which results in a more bitter flavor. Hops from Europe, on the other hand, tend to have lower levels of alpha acids, which results in a more subtle flavor.

In addition to bitterness, hops can also impart other flavors to beer. For example, hops from the United States can provide citrusy, floral, and herbal flavors, while hops from Europe can provide earthy, spicy, and fruity flavors. Hops from New Zealand and Australia can provide tropical and citrusy flavors, while hops from the United Kingdom can provide earthy and floral flavors.

With all this considered, it is no wonder why hops became fundamental to modern beer making. From the impartation of acids as well as their secondary and tertiary characteristics, there are enough varieties of hops to keep beer makers busy for a lifetime. 

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