Hops
Hops, formally known as Humulus lupulus, are vine-like plants that act as the seasoning (balancing malt sweetness) for beer and deliver bitterness, aroma and flavour. These plants grow best in cold climates (at specific latitudes), can grow up to 6m high and are harvested only once a year. During hop harvest, hop flowers are picked off the vine, dried and then used in the brewing process. These hop flowers hold resins (alpha acids) that impart flavour into our beers and also act as a natural preservative. There are many varieties of hops grown all around the world, each one offering different characters to beer. For example, Little Creatures source a range of specialty hops from the US, Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand to achieve a variety of unique aromatic and bittering characters in their beers. The intensity of the bitterness to the beer depends on when the hops are added in the brew cycle and the amount used. Added early will increase the bitterness but decrease the aroma; adding later will have the opposite effect.
