English Hops are Underrated

The British have been growing hops since the 16th century, but intense hop flavours have dominated the craft beer industry in recent years, often sourced from the USA.  We believe English hops are vastly underrated and we want to explain why. Perhaps we can even encourage a few of you to use more of them in your beers!

The British ‘terroir’ (read: a sense of place, felt by things such as the combination of soil and the climate) means that our hops are lower in myrcene compared to hops grown almost everywhere else in the world. But what does myrcene do for a hop plant?

In a nutshell, hops that are low in myrcene content typically have a more moderate aroma intensity, which actually delivers far more delicate and complex aromas to the beer.

Hops

The low alpha acid levels in English hops also provide an earthy and slightly spicy flavour, which is why they get used in pale ales/india pale ales as well as stouts and porters. Versatile and complicated, they give more than some might expect.

It is no surprise therefore that brewers across the world put our UK gown hops into their ‘session’ beers. English hops don’t give you a smack in the face as soon as you take your first sip, they typically play with your taste buds and encourage you to take another sip, and then another, and then another…

The combination of Goldings and Fuggle hops is renowned globally. Think about it – if you want to produce a complex yet drinkable beer, it is hard to go wrong with a mix of these two classics.

Fun Fact: Did you know that the very popular hop Citra, is a 3rd generation of the British Fuggle?

We are exporting a large number of our English hops to the US this year and we are always looking for new customers who might want to try some in their next brew. The staples of our inventory will be Goldings and Fuggle, but we are also open to supplying alternatives like Admiral, Pilgrim and Target.

Please get in touch if you have any questions or if you are ready to place an order: hops@brookhousehops.com

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