Hop Farm
 Yes, hops! Blue Mountain Brewery and Hop Farm is cultivating the aromatic plant that gives all beer its characteristic flavor.
Virginia was once know as the "Hop Capital of the New World", and we are reviving that tradition by growing this blessed plant on our brewery grounds to use in our many ales and lagers
Over 200 hop rhizomes (a living segment of the root of a female hop vine) of the Pacific Northwest "Cascade" variety are currently growing in our fields.
The Cascade is an aroma-type cultivar original to the United states. It was first bred in 1952 but not released for cultivation until almost 20 years later. It is a cross of the English Fuggle and Russian Serebrianka producing a medium sized, compact, easily harvested, and wonderfully aromatic cone.
We have rows of these audacious little plants already producing an impressive amount of cones for their first year. We’re all anxiously awaiting using them in our first batches of beer.
Hop Facts |
| 1 |
Hops contribute bitterness to beer balancing the sweetness of the malt. The International Bitterness Unit or IBU is a measure of this bitterness. |
| 2 |
Hops are often used to contribute aromas to beer which can range from flowery to citrus to fruity or even herbal. |
| 3 |
Hops have an antibiotic effect that favors the activity of brewer's yeast over less desirable microorganisms. |
| 4 |
While hop plants are grown by farmers all around the world in many different varieties, there is no major commercial use for hops other than in beer. Although, hops are an ingredient in Julmust, a carbonated beverage soda popular in Sweden during the holidays - hmm... I'm sticking with the beer. |
|
