Hops provide bitterness to balance the malty sweetness of beer.
Hops are grown all over the world. There are many different varieties of hops, just as there are many varieties of barley. (Gee, I guess that means you can make a variety of different kinds of beer.) Hops are used in beer like spices are used in cooking foods. Hops are a natural preservative and impart bitterness, flavors and aroma to your beer. Some hops can be used exclusively for bittering, others for their particular flavor and still others solely for their unique bouquet.
Hops can be packaged in several different ways and are available at your local homebrew supply store. They can be whole hop flowers (cones), pelletized or in the form of oils (essence). Some malts are sold "pre-hopped", which means that the hops have already been added to the extract. The bittering strength of the hops is measured in terms of IBUs, or International Bittering Units. When you buy hops, they'll have a label on them that tells you their alpha-acid content. Alpha-acid varies by type of hop and crop harvests, year by year.
More in-depth information about hops coming soon....
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Different beer styles are often defined as having a specific range of bitterness (in IBUs). You can determine the quantity and length of time your hops are boiled by using their alph-acid content and calculating their bittering strength. Most recipes and kits already have these calculations taken into consideration. Hops spoil when exposed to air and light, so store them in a dark, cool place, vacuum sealed if possible.
Hops...
(humulus lupulus).