Hops facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hops |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Common Hop plant (Humulus lupulus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Humulus
|
| Species | |
|
Humulus lupulus L. |
|
Hops are the special flowers of the hop plant. These plants belong to a group called Humulus. Hops look like small, green cones. They are mostly known for giving a unique, slightly bitter taste to beer. People have used hops for many hundreds of years. Even the ancient Romans used them!
Contents
What Are Hops?
Hops are the cone-shaped flowers of the hop plant. The scientific name for the main hop plant is Humulus lupulus. These plants are part of the Cannabaceae family. This family also includes other interesting plants.
Hops are important for several reasons. They contain special oils and acids. These give beer its unique flavor and aroma. Hops also help keep beer fresh for longer. They act as a natural preservative.
Where Do Hops Grow?
Hop plants are vines that grow very tall. They need tall poles or wires to climb on. Hops grow best in places with lots of sunshine. They also need plenty of water.
Many hops are grown in specific regions around the world. Major hop-growing areas include Germany, the United States, and the Czech Republic. In the U.S., the Yakima Valley in Washington is famous for its hop farms.
How Are Hops Used?
The main use for hops is in making beer. Brewers add hops during the brewing process. This gives beer its bitter taste and pleasant smell. Hops also help to balance the sweetness from other ingredients.
Different types of hops create different flavors. Some hops make beer taste citrusy or fruity. Others give it a spicy or earthy flavor. This variety allows brewers to make many kinds of beer.
Hops have also been used in traditional medicine. People believed they could help with sleep or digestion. Sometimes, hops are used in herbal teas or pillows.
History of Hops
Hops have a long history of use. People in ancient times knew about hop plants. The Romans used them, but not always for beer. They sometimes ate the young shoots like asparagus.
Hops became widely used in brewing during the Middle Ages. Before hops, brewers used other herbs to flavor beer. Hops made beer taste better and last longer. This made them very popular.
By the 15th and 16th centuries, hops were common in European brewing. Today, they are an essential part of beer making worldwide.
Growing Hops
Hop plants are perennial. This means they grow back every year. They grow from a root system called a "crown." New shoots, called "bines," grow from the crown each spring.
Hop bines can grow incredibly fast. They can reach heights of 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters) in a single season. Farmers use tall trellises for the bines to climb.
The hop flowers, or cones, are harvested in late summer or early fall. After harvesting, the cones are dried. This drying process helps preserve their flavor and aroma.
Images for kids
-
Hop flower in a hop yard in the Hallertau, Germany
-
Fully grown hops bines ready for harvest on the Yakama Indian Reservation
-
Humulus on a house
-
Early season hop growth in a hop yard in the Yakima River Valley of Washington with Mount Adams in the distance
-
A superstructure of overhead wires supports strings that in turn support bines
-
Hops harvest in the Kingdom of Bohemia (1898)
-
Hops harvest in Skåne, Sweden, in 1937
-
Puget Sound region, Washington, ca. 1893
-
Isomerization scheme of humulone
-
Hops sample at the Moscow Brewing Company
-
Mature hops growing in a hop yard in Germany
.jpg)
.jpeg)
See also
In Spanish: Lúpulo para niños
