Sugar Creek Hops & Vineyards
From the Anglo-Saxon word "hoppan," hops are a perennial
herb whose flowers grow into cone shaped structures on a vine. Hops are
used in beer primarily for their bittering and aromatic qualities but also
have a preservative effect and aid in clarification and head retention.
The leaves of the female hop plant carry the lupulin glands which produce
the resins and oils that provide the plant's distinctive aroma, flavor and
bitterness. It is these characteristics of the hops that are used to balance
the sweetness of the beer malt.
The bitterness
of hops comes from the alpha acids that exist in the resin of the lupulin
glands. Alpha acid percentage (AA%) is a measure of the percentage of the
hop flower's weight that is composed of the alpha acid resin. The higher
the alpha acid percentage, the more bitter the hop. Alpha acids only become
water soluble and release their bitterness when boiled, which is why hops
used for bittering are added at the beginning of the beer making process.
The flavor
and aroma of the hops come from hop oils, not the resins, Unfortunately,
those oils are destroyed if boiled too long, which is why hops added for
flavor or aroma are added at the end of the beer making process. The lupulin
glands also contain beta acids, but they have little to no effect on beer.
Hops have
long established and well studied medicinal properties and uses, although
new uses and properties are also being explored. Two of the many medically
active ingredients in Hops are humulene and lupulin. Dried hops have a
high methybutenol content which has a mild sedative effect on the central
nervous system. Hops are used in the treatment for insomnia, stress and
anxiety. Hop tea may help.
Fresh
and dried hops have different properties and are used to treat different
symptoms. Fresh or newly dried hops, usually dampened with glycerin to reduce
the rustling noise, are used in sleep pillows to help ease a restless or
anxious person into sleep. As the hops age, they change in chemical composition.
For this reason, the hops in pillows should be changed every few months.
Fresh hops can also be made into a tea that is taken to combat insomnia.
The tea is made by steeping about two teaspoons of fresh hops in one cup
of boiling water for five minutes. A sweetener can be added to balance
the bitterness.
Hops are an ingredient in Julmust, a
carbonated beverage popular in Sweden during the month of December.
Hops are not recommended for people suffering from depression. Their
sedative action may accentuate depressive symptoms in these people. Hops
are included on the United States Food and Drug Administration's list
of foods "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS).
Dried hops change in composition when exposed to light,
heat, or moisture. This is why we vacuum
seal all our dried hops in oxygen barrier bags and store them in our freezer
until shipped.
You can also purchase "wet hops" during the first few weeks of picking
season. Wet hops are hops that have not been dried added directly to the
brewing process. Wet hops have more of the aromatic oils which gives you more
of that hoppy flavor. Wet hops are added at a rate of 4-5 to 1 depending on
preference. If your recipe calls for 1 oz of hops add 4 to 5 oz of wet hops.
The only problem with wet hop beers is that you can only make it during picking
season. They are a true original..
2008 Harvest