Hops are the main ingredient for making beer. There are a number of different varieties and blends that you can use. You will change the flavor of your beer by changing the varieties and blends of hops you put into it.

In their natural state, hops are climbing vines and will last for about 20 years. They are perennials and go dormant in winter. In springtime they put out new growth and come back to life. If you want to grow your own hops they are easy to grow and do not take up too much room if you support them on a fence or trellis. Their stalks actually wind around supports and as such they are known as bines as opposed to vines that use tendrils to climb.

Like many bines the hop has male and female plants. It is the female plant that is used in brewing beer. The flower glands produce a unique type of oil, which is used to flavor and preserve the beer. There are 3 varieties of hops; Asian, Common hop and the Yunnan Hop, from China. For brewing, a special hop has been cultivated, that can be propagated by asexual reproduction.

Cultivation of hops has been around since ancient times. The first hops were cultivated in Germany in 736. Germany still provides 25% of the hops grown today. Hops are now grown in Kent UK, Washington state USA, Belgium and the Czech republic. Other places include New Zealand, China, Australia, Poland and Russia.

Growing your own hops is a fun and economical way to save money. They are easy to grow and can be cultivated in temperate climates. They are harvested and at one time were dried in special places called Oast houses. Now these houses are no longer used and the hops are dried commercially. The Oast houses are now being converted to regular houses.

Hops for cultivation can be obtained from nursery plants or cuttings. They are planted in hills. Care should be taken to protect them against pests, as there are several types of bugs that can attack them.

About the Author

Graham Williams is the owner of http://www.gw-ebooks.com this site is full of books that are about hobbies such as Brewing your own beer, Camping, Bird watching, Beekeeping. While your there don't forget to sign up to my newsletter and you will receive monthly discounts in any new book that is added each month you can visit my site here http://www.gw-ebooks.com