Real hops - The green plant with power taste
Hops and hop pellets Beer without hops? Unthinkable! In addition to yeast, barley and water, good old hops are essential for a good beer according to the German Purity Law. With us you get fresh hops in an excellent quality - whether as hop cones or as hop pellets. Gastro-Brennecke offers you a large selection of many different hop varieties, each with its own character. So the beer brewing can start!
Hops are known above all for their use in brewing beer. No wonder, because the green plant contributes significantly to the characteristic beer wort . It is also the plant that determines how bitter the beer should be. Hops contain so-called " alpha acids", also known as humulone. Since humulone is one of the strongest bitter substances in the plant, a high value naturally leads to a bitter taste of the beer. At Gastro-Brennecke we offer hops with different alpha values. From 1.8% to 14.5% leaves virtually no wish unfulfilled.
What you need to know about hops
The hop we know from brewing beer is also known as Humulus lupulus, or true hops. It is a subspecies of hops, a hemp plant and climber. It is also used as a medicinal plant, as it has a calming effect. In addition to beer production, hops are also used as an agent against sleep problems. In addition, the true hop is dioecious (separately sexed), whereby only unpollinated, female plants are used for brewing beer. The reason: male plants have no characteristic flavor and do not contribute to the formation of foam. They can even harm the female plant if they pollinate it. Therefore, only female plants are cultivated in Germany. These can be recognized by the umbels and the absence of the flower, which can only be formed by the male plants.
Hops in beer brewing
Beer without hops is like a cake without sugar - inedible. It is not for nothing that hops are considered the " soul " of beer, because they give it its unique flavor and bitterness. Usually, only a small amount of the miracle plant is needed for this: per 100 liters of beer, just 150 to 450 grams of hops are needed, i.e. less than 0.5%. The real hops provide the distinctive properties in the beer: Bitter substances: The bitter substances in hops contribute significantly to the characteristically bitter taste of beer. They also play a major role in foam formation and foam retention. The amount of bitterness in the beer depends on the alpha acid content of the plant and the boiling time. Tannins: The tannins in hops are bound in tannin. This helps to make the beer durable and the foam lasts longer. They also clarify the beer by neutralizing proteins in the yeast. Essential oils: The essential oils provide the typical hop aroma. The choice of hops can therefore directly influence the taste of the beer.
Hop cones or hop pellets?
At Gastro-Brennecke you can get both Hop cones as well as Hop pellets in top quality. But what exactly is the difference between the two varieties? Simply put, pellets are concentrated cones that are dried, ground and pressed. Umbels, on the other hand, are only lightly dried before being used in brewing beer. As a result, cones are said to contain more flavor than pellets, as essential oils are partially lost during the further drying process. So ultimately, it's a matter of taste whether you use cones or pellets for brewing beer. Do you have any questions about hops? Then you can simply contact us here. We look forward to hearing from you!