Does bigger mean better, when it comes to hop cones? Might putting hops under stress improve their aroma? Speaking of stress: With the Northern Hemisphere harvests under way, do we have any more clarity on the hop market’s near future?
Those were among the topics relevant to brewers and hop growers at the recent World Brewing Congress, a joint meeting of the American Society of Brewing Chemists and Master Brewers Association of the Americas. For three days in August in Minneapolis, scientists and experts from various segments of the industry shared research, advice, and ideas that were both traditional and unconventional.
Dozens of presentations centered on hops and changes in both farming and brewing practices. Equally important, a session on the future of global hop supply made it clear that brewers should pay careful attention to the “changing climate in the hop industry from multiple perspectives.”
Here are some of the highlights most relevant to brewers.