The 4 Pillars of Hop Quality

These Key Choices Impact Hop Quality – and Your Beer

With the explosion of dynamic new varieties and the dominance of hop-forward beers, your ability to brew standout beer in a crowded market hinges on accessing high-quality hops. But producing great hops is a complex craft and nuanced process. At each stage, decisions are made that impact hop quality and, ultimately, your beer. These choices fall into four pillars.

#1.

Growing hops is a mix of art and science, and these factors reflect that delicate balance.

Regionality

Integrated Pest Management

Capacity Planning

Grower Expertise

Third-Party Auditing

Specific varieties flourish in certain regions. Even within ideal growing regions, the local terroir can influence hop profiles.

To manage the threat of pests, some growers use harsh chemicals while others opt for environment-friendly methods.

Farms that focus on optimizing pick windows over acreage are able to maximize yield while ensuring quality.

Growing takes years to master. Many hop farms are multi-generational – knowledge is passed down over decades.

Anyone can claim quality. Third-party certifications such as GlobalG.A.P. and Salmon-Safe offer an objective measure.

Regionality

Integrated Pest Management

Capacity Planning

Grower Expertise

Third-Party Auditing

Specific varieties flourish in certain regions. Even within ideal growing regions, the local terroir can influence hop profiles.

To manage the threat of pests, some growers use harsh chemicals while others opt for environment-friendly methods.

Farms that focus on optimizing pick windows over acreage are able to maximize yield while ensuring quality.

Growing takes years to master. Many hop farms are multi-generational – knowledge is passed down over decades.

Anyone can claim quality. Third-party certifications such as GlobalG.A.P. and Salmon-Safe offer an objective measure.

Grower Decisions

#2.

Harvest

Even when hops have been grown to maturity, harvesting presents choices that impact quality and consistency.

What To Look For

A first-year hop crop, or baby crop, has different attributes than one cultivated in the same soil season after season.

What To Look For

Pick Window

Leaf, Seed, and Stem

Kilning

Bale Storage and Receiving

Growers must perfectly time harvest to capture each variety’s optimal aroma and flavor – just one day can drastically alter the profile.

The best growers produce hop lots with no leaf and stem content and take proactive steps to minimize seeds.

Hops should be dried in a kiln with bed depth, airspeed, and temperature controls that work in harmony to remove moisture.

Once baled, hops should be stored frozen to slow degradation. Upon receipt of bales, processors should check temperature and moisture.

Pick Window

Leaf, Seed, and Stem

Kilning

Bale Storage and Receiving

Growers must perfectly time harvest to capture each variety’s optimal aroma and flavor – just one day can drastically alter the profile.

The best growers produce hop lots with no leaf and stem content and take proactive steps to minimize seeds.

Hops should be dried in a kiln with bed depth, airspeed, and temperature controls that work in harmony to remove moisture.

Once baled, hops should be stored frozen to slow degradation. Upon receipt of bales, processors should check temperature and moisture.

What To Look For

Seeds don’t provide any value in the brewing process. Hop lots with low seed content are more desirable.

Hop Processing

Most hops are processed into T-90 pellets, which introduces variables that can affect quality.

Timing

Temperature

Pellet Consistency and Density

Packaging

Hop varieties degrade at different rates. Processing must be planned to prioritize those that degrade the quickest.

Processing adds heat. Temperature must be rigorously controlled to prevent the loss of oils crucial to expressiveness.

Quality T-90s are homogenous and low-density, enabling better dispersion, suspension, and flavor transfer.

Pellets should be sealed in light-resistant foil bags flushed with nitrogen or CO2 to remove oxygen.

What To Look For

Pellets exposed to high temperatures during processing can appear glassy or have a burnt appearance.

#3.

#4.

Storage

If properly stored, high-quality hop pellets are good for up to five years. Ideally, they should be stored frozen at 28°F or less.

Merchant-Processor Storage

In-Transit Storage

Brewery Storage

Many hop contracts include a year of storage, and some spot suppliers guarantee their pellets are stored frozen.

Hops don’t need to be refrigerated in transit, but they should be kept cold for long trips in high temperatures.

Freezing is ideal. Refrigeration is OK if the hops will be used in six months. Flush open bags with nitrogen or CO2, then reseal and freeze.

What To Look For

Always evaluate hops prior to brewing to ensure aroma, density, color, and packaging are up to quality standards.

Quality Is a Choice

For brewers and hop producers alike, quality is a choice. For both, every step involves critical choices that impact quality. Growers who treat their crop with patience and respect usually yield consistently great hops that help bring your beer to life.

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