Whimsical, ethereal, subtle, inviting…. Hops are the magic in beer. They contribute bitterness to the sweetness of malt, and essential oils responsible for aroma and flavour. Hops help to keep beer fresher, longer and help beer retain its head of foam.
We’ve covered the history and harvest of hops previously (well worth a read even if we do say so ourselves), but why is fresh beer important? Well, it’s down to that beautiful ethereal nature of the hops themselves.
Hops are divided into two general varieties: bittering and aroma. Bittering hops will have higher alpha acids, making them more economical for bittering beer (a small amount goes a long way). Aroma hops will tend to have more essential oils. It’s those highly volatile oils that contribute what people understand as “hoppiness.” Aromas like citrus, pine, mango, resin, melon, and more. By adding hops early in the brewing process, all of those oils boil away, either during the boil or fermentation. That’s why adding them later in the brewing process tends to make a beer smell “hoppier.” That volatility is the same reason why the aroma and flavour of heavily hopped beers don’t stand up as well to time. Much of the hop-forward aromas and flavours will dissipate, leaving quite a different beer than the brewer intended.
So, as beer ages, the flavour and aroma of hops can diminish. To fully appreciate the unique qualities of hops it is essential to drink fresh beer that has been recently brewed. At Nirvana we brew in small batches, so you always get the freshest beers direct to your door. The only downside is that we sell out from time to time, but we promise to call out when we’re low in stock and when fresh beers land!
🍻CHEERS!🍻
ABOUT NIRVANA BREWERY:
WE ARE THE UK’S ONLY NO/LOW ALCOHOL DEDICATED BREWERY, ONE OF ONLY 16 SOIL ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED ORGANIC BREWERIES AND THE ONLY ONE IN LONDON.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUTSTANDING BEER DOESN’T NEED ALCOHOL, THAT AWARD WINNING FLAVOUR IS NOT TIED TO ABV, AND THAT DRINKING WITH FRIENDS DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN A SLOW START THE NEXT DAY.
BREWING SINCE 2016, OUR BEERS CONTAIN NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS, LESS ALCOHOL THAN ORANGE JUICE AND ARE BETWEEN 33 AND 66 CALORIES PER BOTTLE.
