It is difficult to believe that at one time hops were very much the
marginalized ingredient of modern beer, until the burgeoning craft
beer movement in America reignited the industry's enthusiasm for
hop-forward beer. The history of hops and their use in beer is long
and shrouded in mystery to this day, but Stan Hieronymous has
gamely teased apart the many threads as best anyone can, lending
credence where due and scotching unfounded claims when appropriate.
It is just one example of the deep research through history books,
research articles, and first-hand interviews with present-day
experts and growers that has enabled Stan to produce a
wide-ranging, engaging account of this essential beer ingredient.
While they have an exalted status with today's craft brewers, many
may not be aware of the journey hops take to bring them, neatly
baled or pressed into blocks and pellets, into the brewhouse. Stan
paints a detailed and, at times, personal portrait of the life of
hops, weaving technical information about hop growing and anatomy
with insights from families who have been running their hop farms
for generations. The author takes the reader on a tour of the main
growing regions of central Europe, where the famous landrace
varieties of Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Germany originate,
to England and thence to North America, and latterly, Australia and
New Zealand. Growing hops and supplying the global brewing industry
has always been a hard-nosed business, and Stan presents statistics
on yields, acreage, wilt and other diseases, interspersed with
words from the farmers themselves that illustrate the challenges
and uncertainties hop growers face. Along the way, Stan gives
details about some of the most well-known varieties—Saaz,
Hallertau, Tettnang, Golding, Fuggle, Cluster, Cascade, Willamette,
Citra, Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin, and many others—and their history
of use in the Old World and New World. The section culminates in a
catalog of 105 hop varieties in use today, with a brief description
of character and vital statistics for each. Of course, the art and
science of using hops in making beer is not forgotten. Once the
hops have been harvested, processed, and delivered to the brewery,
they can be used in myriad ways. The author moves from the toil of
the hop gardens to that of the brewhouse, again presenting a blend
of history and present-day interviews and research articles to
explain alpha acids, beta acids, bitterness, harshness, smoothness,
and the deterioration of bittering flavors over time. Perception is
all important when discussing bitterness, and the author touches on
genetics, evolution, the vagaries of individuals' perceptions of
bitterness, and changing tastes, such as the “lupulin shift.”
The meaning of the international bitterness unit, or IBU, is not
always properly understood and here Stan lays out a brief history
of how the IBU came to be and an appreciation of the many variables
affecting utilization in the boil and final bitterness in beer.
Adding hops is not as simple as it sounds, and Stan's research
illustrates that if you ask ten brewers about something you will
get eleven opinions. Early additions, late additions, continuous
hopping, first wort hopping, and hop bursting are all discussed
with a healthy dose of pragmatic wisdom from brewers and a pinch of
chemistry. There then follows an entire chapter devoted to the
druidic art of dry hopping, following its commonplace usage in
nineteenth-century England to the modern applications found in
today's US craft brewing scene. The author uncovers hop plugs, hop
coffins, and the “pendulum method,” along with the famous hop
rocket and hop torpedo used by some of America's leading craft
breweries. Every brewer has their dry hopping method and,
gratifyingly, many are happy to share with the author, making this
chapter a great source for inspiration and ideas. Many of the
brewers the author interviewed were also happy to share recipes.
There are 16 recipes from breweries in America, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, England, Germany, and New Zealand. These not
only present delicious beers but give some insight into how
professional brewers design their recipes to get the most out of
their hops. As always, Stan imparts wisdom in an engaging and
accessible fashion, making this an amazing compendium on “every
brewer's favorite flower.”
General
Imprint: |
Brewers Publications
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
Brewing Elements |
Release date: |
December 2012 |
Firstpublished: |
December 2012 |
Authors: |
Stan Hieronymus
|
Dimensions: |
227 x 153 x 22mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
321 |
Edition: |
New |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-938469-01-5 |
Categories: |
Books >
Sport & Leisure >
General
|
LSN: |
1-938469-01-1 |
Barcode: |
9781938469015 |
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