Hops


Best in Beer 2020 Readers’ Choice: Homebrew Brand, Gear & Retailer of the Year

Once again, you told us your favorite homebrew gear, manufacturers, and retailers. It was a year of small shifts and subtle moves, as your favorite brands of 2020 remained largely unchanged.

Brewing with Hops: Don’t Be Creeped Out

Stan Hieronymus explains the creeping phenomenon of dry-hopped beers that seem to have minds of their own—and ways to keep them under control.

Editors’ Picks: Hop Blends

Our hop choices as brewers aren't limited to single varietals. Those who know hops best are mixing and matching them to make useful blends. Here are some options worth trying on brew day.

American Pale Ale: Hops in Harmony

Our country’s signature flavor profile was not born in Burton, but in the hop fields of Oregon.

Brewer’s Perspective: The Origins and Elements of Tipopils

Joe Stange speaks with Agostino Arioli, founder of Birrificio Italiano, about the 25-year-old beer that’s sparking a new wave of hop-forward lagers—and about what makes Tipopils different.

Podcast Episode 148: Stan Hieronymus on New Developments in the World of Hops

Author Stan Hieronymus offers his thoughts on the past, present, and future of the hop industry, along with updates on recent research into hops-related process concerns like hop creep and reusing hops.

Video Tip: Smoother Bitterness, More Hop Flavor

Rockwell's Jonathan Moxey explains their approach to hopping, from first-wort hops to an aroma-boosting whirlpool—and how to conduct a whirlpool on your home kit.

Podcast Episode 143: New Anthem's Aaron Skiles on Learning Through Problem Solving with Hazy IPA

New Anthem earned 2019 CB&B Beer of the Year honors after two IPAs scored perfect 100s; they did it again in our new IPA issue. How do they do it? Cofounder Aaron Skiles walks us through their process of building consistency through constant change.

Infographic: Top Hops

Here we depict the most-grown hops (by acres harvested) in the Pacific Northwest from 2014 to 2019, showing the top 10 each year. The width of each band represents the number of acres grown that year; one inch is about 6,500 acres.

Podcast Episode 139: Andy Farrell, Brewing Innovation Manager for Bell's Brewery, on the Delicate Design of Low-Cal IPAs

The longtime Bell’s brewer dives into the minutiae that make this evolving style of highly hopped, low-calorie beer so compelling, and discusses the particulars behind one of their biggest releases in recent history—Light Hearted Ale.