10 Facts About Hops

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus, a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants.

Hops are used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine.

Hops are used in brewing for their antibacterial effect over less desirable microorganisms and for purported benefits including balancing the sweetness of the malt with bitterness and a variety of flavours and aromas.

Hops used in England were imported from France, Holland and Germany and were subject to import duty; it was not until 1524 that hops were first grown in the southeast of England, when they were introduced as an agricultural crop by Dutch farmers.

Hops were then grown as far north as Aberdeen, near breweries for convenience of infrastructure.

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Hops production is concentrated in moist temperate climates, with much of the world's production occurring near the 48th parallel north.

Hops are usually dried in an oast house before they are used in the brewing process.

Hops can be eaten; the young shoots of the bine are edible and can be cooked like asparagus.

Hops tend to be unstable when exposed to light or air and lose their potency after a few months' storage.

Hops are of interest for hormone replacement therapy and are under basic research for potential relief of menstruation-related problems.