While it might seem complex to anyone who has never brewed their own beer, at its essence, beer is made of only a handful of ingredients. To brew beer, all you need are water, a grain (most often barley), yeast, and hops. And while all of the ingredients are important in the overall makeup, none have as much of an impact as hops.
Sure, there’s no beer without water, barley (or wheat, corn, or rice) adds the caramel malt flavor beer drinkers crave, and yeast. But without hops, the cone-shaped flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant, your beer would be devoid of any floral, piney, earthy aromas and flavors. Talk about bland city.
And I should know, I’ve brewed beer at home, and I can tell you that if you somehow forget to add hops to your home brew, you’re going to notice. Also known as “gruit,” beer brewed without hops is overly sweet and certainly feels like it’s missing something. There’s no beer without the earthy, floral, bitter aroma and flavor that you get from the addition of hops.
Now that we’ve learned a little about the importance of hops in the brewing process, it’s time to take a deeper dive into this extremely important ingredient.
The two types of hops
Before we get started, it’s important to note that there are two different types of hops: bittering and aroma. Bittering hops are (you guessed it) used to make your favorite West Coast IPA (and other beers) bitter. They have higher alpha acid content than the aroma bitters.
Aroma hops, on the other hand, are loaded with essential oils. You know those smelly things your roommate douses the house with when guests are coming over. Aroma hops are where we get some of our favorite IPA flavors, including pine needles, pineapple, citrus peels, and floral notes.
Hops 101
Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the importance of hops, it’s time to take a deep dive into the different hops that brewers use depending on the type of beer they’re brewing. Keep scrolling to learn all about these bitter, aromatic, floral, piney beer staples.
Citra
Citra is an extremely popular hop that’s found in countless West Coast IPAs as well as New England-style IPAs like Toppling Goliath King Sue and pale ales like Upslope Citra Pale Ale. Citra is more often used as an aroma hop as opposed to a bittering hop. It’s known for its grapefruit, tangerine, lime, and tropical fruit aroma and flavor.
Amarillo
Amarillo is more than just a city in Texas; it’s also a fairly popular hop variety. Used for their aroma and a popular choice for dry-hopping, Amarillo hops are known for their distinct orange, grapefruit, and aromatic floral qualities. This memorable hop variety can be found in countless beers, including Stone Go-To IPA, Alpine Duet, and more.
Saaz
If you’re a fan of refreshing, crisp lagers and thirst-quenching pilsners, specifically those from Czechia (like the iconic Pilsner Urquell), you’ve had your fair share of Saaz hops. This aroma hop is utilized for its earthy, herbal, spicy, and floral flavors. While it does add a little bitterness, it’s not used for that function.
Magnum
We’ve talked a lot about aroma hops. It’s time to give bittering hops their due. One of the most popular bittering hops is Magnum. With a high alpha acid content, Magnum hops are known for clean bitterness featuring citrus, spice, and pine. Popular Magnum hopped beers include Sierra Nevada Torpedo and Ska Brewing Fresh Hop Pale Ale.
Nelson Sauvin
In recent years, you’ve likely seen more beers featuring the New Zealand-grown hop variety called Nelson Sauvin. The name is a reference to the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and this aroma hop carries flavors like white wine and tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, and passion fruit. Popular in pale ales and IPAs, it can be found in Alpine Nelson, Hill Farmstead Self Reliance, Tree House Eureka, and more.
Cascade
One of the most popular Northwest hops, Cascade is known for both its bittering and aroma. It’s widely popular in IPAs and pale ales, and it’s known for its mix of citrus, floral, and pine flavors. It can be found in countless beers, including Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond, and New Belgium Fat Tire Belgian White.
Centennial
Often grown in the Pacific Northwest, Centennial hops are high in alpha acids and known for their bittering qualities. They are so big and bold, they’re also used as aroma hops. This versatile hop is known for its complex flavor profile featuring notes of lemon zest, grapefruit, tangerine, floral notes, and effortless, dank, resinous pine.
Bottom line
Hopefully, as you read along through this article, you’ve realized the importance of hops. They’re important for adding prickly bitterness to your favorite IPA and aroma and flavor to pale ales, pilsners, and many other beer styles. Without them, your beer would be a bland, sweet cup of nonsense.
