Hops | OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

What Are Hops?

Hops are the cone-shaped flowers of a fast-growing climbing vine called Humulus lupulus. These papery green cones may look small and simple, but they have played an important role in food, medicine, and culture for centuries. The hop plant is a member of the Cannabaceae family, making it a relative of hemp and mulberry trees. Hop vines are among the fastest-growing plants in temperate climates, capable of climbing up to 25 feet in a single growing season. The plant dies back to the ground each winter but springs back to life from its roots when warm weather returns.

How Hops Grow

Hop vines are vigorous climbers that use tiny hooked hairs on their stems to grip onto anything they can reach. Farmers grow hops on tall trellises made of poles and strings, creating dramatic green walls that can stretch for acres. Only the female plants produce the valuable cone-shaped flowers, so farmers plant mostly female vines. Inside each cone are tiny golden glands filled with a sticky, aromatic substance called lupulin, which gives hops their distinctive bitter flavor and strong smell. Hops are harvested in late summer, when the cones are papery and fragrant, then dried carefully to preserve their quality.

Hops and Brewing

The most famous use for hops is in brewing, where they add the bitter flavor and floral aroma that balance the sweetness of the grain. Before hops became popular in brewing around the 1100s in Europe, people used a mixture of herbs and spices called gruit to flavor their drinks. Hops turned out to be much better because they also act as a natural preservative, helping brewed beverages last longer without spoiling. The bitter compounds in hops, called alpha acids, fight bacteria that would otherwise make the liquid go bad. Today, there are over 250 varieties of hops, each with its own unique flavor and aroma profile.

Other Uses for Hops

Beyond brewing, hops have a long history of use in herbal medicine and everyday life. For centuries, people have used hops as a natural sleep aid because the plant contains compounds that have a gentle calming effect. Pillows stuffed with dried hops, called hop pillows, were a popular folk remedy for insomnia, and even King George III of England reportedly used one. Hop extracts are used in some natural skin care products and herbal teas designed to promote relaxation. The young shoots of the hop plant can even be eaten as a vegetable, similar to asparagus, and are considered a delicacy in parts of Europe.

Growing Hops Today

The Pacific Northwest region of the United States, especially Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, produces about 98 percent of all American hops. Germany is the other major hop-growing region in the world, with a long tradition of hop farming in the Hallertau area of Bavaria. Hop farming requires significant investment because of the tall trellis systems needed to support the climbing vines. Climate change is a growing concern for hop farmers, since hops are sensitive to temperature changes and need specific day lengths to flower properly. Some hobbyists and small farmers have started growing their own hops at home, training the vines up fences, porches, and garden arbors.