Most beer has four principal ingredients—barley, yeast, water, and hops. Whether you enjoy crisp ales or bold IPAs when you go to bars and restaurants, you might wonder what hops are and how they contribute to the flavor of the beer. The guide below discusses hops, their uses, and their flavor palettes.

A Guide to Hops In Beer

What Are They?

Hops are flowers from the plant known as Humulus lupulus. These green, cone-shaped blossoms are related to cannabis but contain no THC.

In fact, they contain essential oils that give beer flavor and alpha acids that give it bitterness and balance the sweetness. Depending on the beer, hops may play a starring role or blend into the background. IPAs, for instance, make heavy use of hops, while stouts use them to add subtle depth.

When Do Brewers Add Them?

Most brewers add hops during the boiling stage, since it takes about an hour for the hops to release their acids and balance the malt’s sweetness. However, brewers sometimes add them later so that the aromatic oils don’t boil out, which makes the end result more fragrant.

Other options include adding hops straight into the fermenter for a dry finish or including fresh hops for a less concentrated flavor.

What Are the Different Types?

Noble hops are classic and often used in Czech and German pilsners. They contain high quantities of humulene, which is a powerfully fragrant essential oil, but have low acidity. Noble hops are floral, fruity, herbaceous, and spicy.

American hops are aromatic, bright, and bold. They contain a high concentration of myrcene, which is the oil that lends citrus and pine notes to beer. English hops have lower myrcene levels, which gives the beer a more delicate flavor and allows other notes, such as earth, molasses, and wood, to stand out in the blend. 

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