Coigneau facts for kids
Coigneau is a special kind of hop plant from Belgium. It was grown a lot in the areas around Aalst and Asse, near Brussels, during the 1800s and early 1900s.
Coigneau hops were very popular for making a unique Belgian beer called Lambic. This beer is brewed in the Pajottenland region, which is southwest of Brussels. Coigneau hops were chosen because they add only a little bit of bitterness to the beer.
Traditional Lambic beer makers often used a mix of old, dried hops and fresh hops. They liked to use about half old and half fresh. Using fresh Coigneau hops was easy because they naturally have low levels of something called "alpha-acids." Alpha-acids are what make beer taste bitter. So, Coigneau didn't make the Lambic beer too bitter.
History of Coigneau Hops
The name "Coigneau" comes from a farmer named Franciscus Coigneau. He was the first person known to grow this type of hop plant. He started growing it in the late 1700s. His farms were in a village called Teralfene, which is in the same Aalst-Asse area.
