A Little Hops How-To
My first experience with the aroma of fresh hops happened on a warm, late-summer day in Michigan. My dad and I had each picked a wild heirloom hop cone that was growing on our family farm. Tearing mine open, I revealed the buttery orange inside that smelled like nothing I’d ever sniffed before. Senses are often linked to memory, and this sensory experience is hard for me to describe in words. Bursting with fragrance, our hops smelled brilliantly floral and citrusy. The thick oils clung to our fingers, reminding me that these cones had substance. I could only imagine how they’d taste in a nice cold craft beer.
Since that fateful moment, we’ve had a lot of fun establishing our small hops farm. With a little learning as you go and a lot of hard work, anybody can become a successful hops farmer. Hops grow up, not out, climbing anything they can in a clockwise manner. It doesn’t take a lot of space to grow them, just a strong work ethic and dedication.
A Proper Introduction
Hops are the flowers of the hop plant (), a perennial that dies back
