Maximum Yield Australia/New Zealand May/June 2019 | страница 67
H
ops are not a crop routinely associated with
hydroponics — a tall vining plant produced on an
extensive scale outdoors in suitable temperate climates
for the brewing industry. Despite seeming to be an odd
specimen for greenhouse or indoor cropping, hops have, in
fact, become one of the new, innovative options for growers
looking to produce a niche market product. For those who
have a liking for craft beers or inkling to brew their own,
growing a few hop plants can be a viable option as well as
a fascinating new crop to experiment with.
The hop plant (Humulus lupulus) has a long history of
cultivation and is primarily grown for the production of
dried or pelleted hop flowers (cones) which are used to add
bitterness, flavour, and aromatics to beer. However, the fresh
hop cones (called wet hops), which have a very limited storage
life, can also be used in brewing, and may confer additional
qualities that the pelleted form does not. Commercial wet
hop brewers typically aim to use the fresh cones within
48 hours of harvest for maximum compositional quality
and will pay a premium price for such a niche market crop.
The harvestable portion of the hop plant are the flowers
(also called cones or strobiles).
“ DESPITE SEEMING to be an odd
specimen for greenhouse or indoor
cropping, hops have, in fact, become
one of the new, innovative options
for growers”
For home brewers, the potential of producing selected
varieties of hops specifically for wet-hop brewing immediately
after harvest has become an exciting possibility as fresh hops
are often difficult or impossible to obtain.
The harvest season for outdoor grown hops is extremely
short and only occurs once a year, however, hydroponic hop
crop experiments suggest three to five crops per year of fresh
cones may be possible with the use of climate control under
protected cultivation. With successional planting, it could be
possible to supply high-quality fresh crops throughout the
year from hydroponic production. There have been reports
that with the controlled nutrition in hydroponics, hops with
higher concentrations of essential oils, aromatic compounds,
beta acids, and flavonoids can be produced as well as larger,
heavier cones and a higher overall yield.
Apart from their essential use in beer brewing, hops
have other properties of interest. These include medicinal
compounds that can act as a mild sedative for the treatment
of insomnia. Hops pillows — pillow fabric filled with dried
hop cones — have long been used to help induce sleep, while
other compounds have been used to treat anxiety and restless-
ness. Other hop products include tea and soft drinks, and the
tips of the young shoots can be steamed and eaten in a similar
way to asparagus. Hops are also occasionally used in culinary
dishes for a unique flavouring or to add a distinctive aroma.
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