blending hops From February 2016

Blending hops to match flavour


Ongoing research is looking to find a way to predict the sensory attributes of hops in the final beer product. It will create techniques to accurately match the sensory profile of an aroma hop which may be in short supply with a blend of alternative hops. Many beer brands utilise a small number of specific hops in their recipes, and so a change in hop variety is likely to be noticed by the consumer unless done very carefully. This is particularly pertinent given the severe hop shortages currently being faced by the industry.


So far 14 hop varieties have been assessed analytically and by our beer sensory panel as hop teas. Key findings include:



The sensory differences between hop teas and beer are partly explained by the important flavour contributions in the latter from malt and yeast. Also, during the brewing process, many of the important sensory components in hops are transformed to other compounds or are lost due to, for example, their volatility. Please contact us to discuss.


Contact: Chris Smart
+44(0)1737 824228
chris.smart@campdenbri.co.uk

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