Five Fun Facts about Hops:
- 822 AD was the earliest recorded use of hops in beer however, organized hop cultivation did not commence until the 12th century in Germany.
- As late as the 16th century, the Britons considered hops to be a weed; a condemnation and many cities enforced a ban on hoppy beers. King Henry VI was believed to be quite a fan of the hoppiness of beers and was a key to its acceptance into Britain.
- Hops actually grow best between the latitudes of 35 – 55 degrees either north or south of the equator because of the longer days during the growing season. Most of the world’s hops grow in these regions.
- Hop plants are often mistakenly called vines when they are bines. The difference lies in where vines climb using tendrils, while a bine will climb using its shoot alone. The bines grow clockwise around their support as they follow the sun across the sky.
- Dogs and cats cannot consume hops as they are extremely toxic to them. Should they consume them, they will get a high fever and even death so make sure that your home brewing supplies are out of reach.