Hops To It

I'm always on the lookout for new and unusual plants I can grow in my backyard that my friends can eat or use, so when someone suggested growing hops to me I said, why not?

It turns out that there are very few organic hops growers in the country and especially in California. The Pacific Northwest, with its cool, but not too cold, climate is where most hops in the U.S. come from. But with the burgeoning micro and home brewing movements, more and more people are taking a stab at growing varieties of hops that are better suited to different climates.

The main requirements to keep in mind are plenty of space for the rhizomes underground and vertically for the vines and plenty of sunlight. The vines can grow incredibly tall, so a strong support system is needed and pruning (down to two or three shoots per vine) is recommended if you don't want to create a hops jungle. The plants also need plenty of water (in well-drained soil) and nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphates to feed the lush green leaves and the flower-like cones. The cones are ready to harvest once they feel papery and light when squeezed. Hops can be used fresh, but for a more predictable flavor, they can be dried and stored in sealed bags or jars and frozen for up to two or three years.

Hops varieties have some of the best names in all of botany: Cascade, Liberty, Brewer's Gold and, my favorite, Fuggle. A true beer connoisseur or cicerone (beer sommelier), can tell you the subtle differences between all kinds of hops (see Tips below), but there are basically two things to keep in mind: alpha acidity, which determines the bitterness of the beer and aroma, which contributes other flavors and smells to the beer. If you go out to buy your own hops (you can find rhizomes for sale at brew stores like Oak Barrel Winecraft in Berkeley), you will most likely find Cascade, which is one of the most popular aroma varieties and imparts floral, spicy and citrusy flavors. If you're lucky enough to find Fuggle you can impress the brewmaster with your knowledge of history: Fuggle is named after Richard Fuggle, who, in 1875, bred this aroma variety to grow well in cool weather and be resistant to the plant disease downy mildew.

So far, I have experimented this year with Cascade, Fuggle and Glacier which seem to be doing well in my temperate East Bay climate - even though they're stuck in containers. I don't expect any cones this year, but next year, if I can find enough space for trellising, I'll be delivering fresh hops to my beer-making friends.

Tips for Hops Growers and Beer Drinkers

The kind folks at one of my favorite brew pubs, Monk's Kettle in San Francisco shared this description of Cascade hops from "The Monk's Kettle Guide to Hops," prepared by Bar Manager Nick Schuster:

Cascade Description: The most widely used hop in America, Cascade is an aroma variety with well-balanced bittering potential. Released for cultivation in 1972, it was the first commercially accepted American-bred aroma hop. Bred by crossing a female Fuggles hop and a male Fuggles hop with Russian Serebrianker. The hop's aroma is of medium strength and very distinct, it has been described as flowery, spicy and citrus-like.

Typical Beer Styles: American-style ales; especially Pale Ale, IPA, Porter, Barley wines. Can also be used in Witbier.

Noted commercial example: Red Seal (used post boil), Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Mirror Pond Pale Ale

And Monk's Kettle Certified Cicerone, Sayre Piotrkowski, has offered his input on pairing beer made with Cascade hops with food:

He says it ultimately depends on how you use the hop and what style of beer it is used in, but here a few suggestions:

* When used in an Amber or Red Ale or even just a slightly richer Pale Ale like "Red Seal" you end up with a bitterness level that is balanced with the caramel sweet flavors provide by the use of darker malts. We have had success pairing beers like this with salads that have a caramelized fatty component (usually bacon and/or a candied nut) over a bitter green (often rocket) with a tangy cheese and citrus vinaigrette. I specifically remember doing "Red Seal" with a salad of castle di franco greens, lamb confit, apricot Stilton and walnuts.

* In a beer like "Sierra Nevada Pale Ale" where the hop bitterness presents itself a bit more prominently and the noses can have more obvious spicy, citric aromas, we have had success with curry spices like tumeric, cumin and medium degrees of peppery heat.

* When used in very large amounts as in a massive, high ABV Imperial or Double IPA, cascade hops will compliment a tart tropical fruit or even a lemony custard based dessert. Pineapple Flan, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, and Lemon Creme Brulee all spring to mind.

By Ariana Reguzzoni