Nuremberg, February 24, 2023. The international hop specialist BarthHaas has just published its Hop Harvest Guide 2022. Brewing and hop professionals all over the world value the guide for its comprehensive documentation of the quality of the most recent hop crop. It helps brewers to adapt their processes and recipes to the changes identified in the respective crop year.
This year, the Hop Harvest Guide can provide more valuable assistance to brewers than ever, as the very poor hop crop presents even experienced specialists with a challenge. Due to the severe drought and heat, not only was crop volume significantly lower than in average years, but the alpha values were also lower than usual.
This is accompanied by weaker and uncharacteristic aromas. “Our analyses show that the current year’s fruity aromas are more restrained, giving way to floral, woody, and menthol notes”, explains Dr. Christina Schönberger, head of the Brewing Solutions team at BarthHaas. “In some cases, it is advisable to modify both the quantity and timing of the hop addition and to consider a sensory blend of hop varieties.”
Using the Hop Harvest Guide, brewers will be able to adapt their beer recipes to the new hop flavor profiles. The Hop Harvest Guide is compiled each year by the BarthHaas Brewing Solutions team. To do so, they analyze representative samples of the different hop varieties and describe their respective sensory characteristics. Descriptive flavor profiles, valuable analytical data, and essential background information make it a reference work for all of those who take a professional interest in hops and hop flavor.
The 80-page guide shows readers in what ways the flavor and aroma characteristics of each of the 34 most important hop varieties differed in crop year 2022 from the aroma characteristics typical of the respective variety. The descriptive flavor profiles are clearly presented, with additional background information completing the picture. With the aid of the clearly structured rose charts, readers can quickly and easily get their bearings among the flavor profiles of the 2022 crop.
Any brewers who in view of this difficult crop year are uncertain as to how to ensure that their beers maintain their characteristic flavor profiles can receive advice and support from the Brewing Solutions team (brewingsolutions@barthhaas.de). The BarthHaas Hop Harvest Guide can now be downloaded free of charge at https://www.barthhaas.com/de/ressourcen/hop-harvest-guide.
Please note the photo credit: BarthHaas
About BarthHaas
BarthHaas is one of the world’s leading suppliers of hop products and hop-related services. The family-owned company specialises in the creative and efficient use of hops and hop products. As visionaries, instigators and implementers of ideas, BarthHaas has been shaping the market surrounding a unique raw material for over 225 years.
Contact
Thomas Raiser
Director Sales & Marketing/Member of the Board of Directors
BarthHaas GmbH & Co. KG
Tel. +49 911 5489 115
thomas.raiser@barthhaas.de