Hops 101

" Hops have become to beer drinkers what grapes are to wine aficionados: a connection to the terroir, a shorthand for personal taste and a password to the inner circle of beer nerdom. "

I don't know if it's behind a paywall but this Bloomberg article, The Bitter History of Beer’s Most Essential, Divisive Ingredient, is a good primer on hops. There are hundreds of varieties and each one has its own flavor, aroma, and bitterness profiles. To know hops is to know beer, much like knowing grapes and region informs the wine drinker of what to expect in the glass. (To be honest, you can also go down a malt wormhole but one thing at a time.)

This article focuses on six of the most prominent hops being used in craft IPAs. They are:

• Amarillo
• Cascade
• Citra
• Centennial
• Mosaic
• Simcoe

The Bloomberg article lists six beers to try as a tasting guide to train your beer palate. I found that some are difficult to find where I live so I won't list them here. You may need to do your own research. Plus, it's hard to find a beer that only uses a single hop. Most use some blend of hops to create distinct flavors. Nevertheless, it does beg for a tasting party which I would gladly host if I could round up some good examples.

There are many websites that discuss hop varieties. Beer Maverick has a good one where you can look each one up for additional information including background and a flavor wheel of sorts that diagrams the various flavors you might expect. 

Clearly, I've gone down a hops wormhole but you don't have to. Just start paying attention to what hops are being used in your beer, talk to your beer tender (or the brewer whenever possible), and try to identify the different flavors and aromas being presented. Also, pay attention to how the beer changes as it warms up. Sometimes you'll notice new things. Beware, sometimes it's harder to pay attention at the end of a glass than at the beginning so if you really want to geek out, take notes. And if you didn't notice how the beer tasted at the end of the glass - well, then, I guess you'll just have to get another one and try again.

#beercareful