Hop Sensory: Hop Tea Method

I love making hop teas, which are cold water extracts of hops. This method is useful for a couple of sensory exercises. For recipe development, hop teas can be a great way to assess the potential dry-hop aroma potential of hops. For those studying for beer exams with a tasting component, such as Cicerone, BJCP, or WSET, hop teas are a great way to learn more about hop aromas and distinguish among hop varieties. I especially like to use hop teas for larger groups because the method outlined below yields a large quantity, making it easy to break down into smaller portions. While the teas help you evaluate a hop’s aroma, listen to your ol’ pal Jen when she says DO NOT DRINK the hop teas. They taste terrible, and there is no benefit to ingesting them. Below you’ll find a list of materials needed and the process. I’ve put a few suggestions at the bottom of the post to inspire your own hop sensory endeavors.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• 1.5 L French press (preferably glass)

• Standard thermometer

• 1.0 L liquid container with screw-top lid (glass, Nalgene, etc.)

• Stir plate with magnetic stir bar (2 x 5/16”)

• Timer

• Blade grinder

• Scale

PROCESS:

• Weigh out hops:

  • For pellets, weigh out 20g

  • For whole cones, weigh out 24 g

• Add hops to the blade grinder and grind the hop material until a fine powder is achieved

  • For pellets, grind for about 10 seconds

  • For whole cones, grind for about 20 seconds

• Place the magnetic stir bar at the bottom of the French press.

• Add the ground hop material to the French press

• Gradually add 1 L of 77 °F/25 °C water to the French press, making sure to submerge the hop material completely. Attach the plunger and depress it so that it gently rests above the material.

• Place the French press onto the stir plate, and set the mixing speed to about 180 RPM. If your stir plate does not have RPM settings, then use about setting 4. Allow the hop-water solution to stir for 20 minutes.

• After 20 minutes, turn off the stir plate and remove the French press. Press down on the plunger filter with substantial force to strain the hop tea and remove particulate.

• Decant into your 1L container and use within 5 hours.

HOP TEA SUGGESTIONS:

Below are a few suggestions for hop teas you may want to try to learn more about the aromas contributed by hops.

• Comparisons:

  • Common brewing regions: United States, England, Germany/Czech Republic, and Australia/New Zealand, e.g.

    • Cascade (US)

    • East Kent Goldings (England)

    • Tettnang (Germany) and/or Saaz (Czech Republic)

    • Galaxy (Australia)

  • Popular hops from specific regions, e.g.

    • Cascade

    • Citra

    • Centennial

    • Strata

• Recipe development:

  • New or novel varieties

  • Flavor matching