The Impact of Hop Freshness on Kettle-Hopped Beers

Hops are an indispensable ingredient in beer, and the differences in their chemical composition impart the various tastes and aromas associated with different beers. However, during storage, hops undergo changes in their chemical composition. Here, the changes in aroma and bitterness of kettle-hopped beers were evaluated in an experiment conducted on three different hop varieties (Aurora, Celeia and Styrian Wolf) with five different hop storage index (HSI) values (0.3–0.7). Hops were added to boiling wort for 5, 45 and 90 min. Alpha-acids, iso-alpha-acids, humulinones, bitterness units and hop aroma compounds in the samples were chemically analysed. All samples also underwent sensorial analysis. The old hops were not problematic in terms of bitterness or early hopping time. However, later additions of old hops reduced the quality and intensity of the hop aroma. The limit value for use without negative consequences for kettle hopping was set at HSI 0.5 for Aurora and Celeia and HSI 0.6 for Styrian Wolf.