Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).
Our “Beer 101” session continues this week and I felt that we should address the big issues first so let’s start with hops. Hops are a critical element in what we know today as beer, but have had a difficult relationship with American beer drinkers over the decades. Now, I could wax academic about the history of hops and their cultivation and use, but I feel like we should focus on what you need to know as you enter the wild world of craft beer. Here are the basics:
1. Hops make beer bitter. Yes, hops contribute bitterness to beer. Before hop usage became commonplace in the 11th century, various herbs and spices were used in an attempt to balance the inherit sweetness in malts. Hops however proved to have the required acids to not only balance malts, but to add a refreshing backbone to beer. Hops were also found to be a natural preservative for beer; in fact, when British colonists found that their Pale Ales were dying on the long trip to India, they added extra hops to the barrels making the long trip. This stronger, more intensely hoppy style became known as India Pale Ale, or IPA (see — beer is history). Throughout the 20th century, in the Age of the American Macro Lager, the bitterness associated with hops was played up to the public at large as a flaw. This was a pure marketing move; an attempt to establish any ‘bitter’ beers as flawed and inferior to their plainer, lighter product.
The irony, of course, is that hoppy beers are what drove the great American microbrew revolution. Almost all American craft beer enthusiasts come into the fold through the discovery of intensely hoppy, flavorful Ales. I know I did. From there, there is a whole world of styles and flavors to discover, but from Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale to Sam Adams Boston Lager to Dogfish Head’s extreme IPAs, hoppy beers are the first step on the journey for beer people coast to coast.
2. “Hoppy” doesn’t necessarily mean “bitter.” Hops express themselves in beer much the same way oak usage does in wine. It’s a flavor that can be either a welcome addition or a distraction. It all comes down to the discretion of the brewer. There are just as many beers that feature hops but have great balance as there are “hop bombs” that appeal to only a small section of drinkers. Unfortunately, they rarely garner the attention they deserve. These beers don’t necessarily have to be IPAs or Pale Ales, mind you: Some of the best Lagers and Pilsners made today use hops to add a sharp streak to liven up a style that otherwise can be kind of plain.
3. You don’t have to love hops to love beer. This is something everyone needs to hear at some point as they get into beer. We all have a limit; a line we have to draw where we say “okay, that’s enough.” It’s okay to find yours. There are plenty of beers and styles where hops play a critical role without overshadowing other elements. Beer is all about finding your where your palate is, and what you like. Again, never let anyone tell you what to like or dislike.
