If you could see into the future of this plant, you’d see a foamy head, elegant glass lacing, and the perfect balance of bitterness and aroma. You’d also see a keg, a tap, and many happy bar patrons. These little green clusters of love are hops, and it’s likely that they’ll find their way into the collaborative beer being brewed by the Bronx Brewery. Check out the whole story right over here.

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Last week we announced the Urban Hops Project, the NYBG‘s momentous partnership with The Bronx Brewery, our borough’s up-and-coming beer craftsmen hailing from none other than nearby Mott Haven. This week we’re talking hops on a deeper level, engaging a bit of the chemistry that makes these subtle green flower clusters so integral to what reaches your bottle, can, or keg. And with so many craft brewers cropping up in the United States over the last decade, there’s good cause for bringing the all-important perennial, Humulus lupulus, back to New York.

Surprisingly enough, we’re far from the first folks to envision hop fields in the Empire State. The hop-growing tradition in New York is about as long as the state’s history, having been farmed for generations. In fact, our state was the largest hop producer in the U.S. through much of the 19th century. But, as almost any high-falutin beer commercial will tell you, the popular origin of the industry lies in Germany.
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Beer. The very mention of the stuff drives palates to distraction. There’s nothing so hallowed as the pouring ritual of a heady stout, or a casual evening get-together at the local taphouse. But while imported brews and stadium fare may have claimed the lion’s share of the industry until recently, today’s beer market is all about toasting the lagers, ales, and lambics of America’s craft scene. And at the root of some of these varied flavors lies a simple flower cluster, a key ingredient to any trophy-winning brew. That’s where the Urban Hops Project comes in.

With a push that could make devoted locavores of us all, The Bronx Brewery and The New York Botanical Garden have partnered up to carry the roots of beer back to New York, just in time for the New York Historical Society‘s celebration of our state’s rich beer-brewing history. In addition to efforts from Bronx-based community gardens and the Cornell Cooperative Extension, we’re throwing in our chips for a true New York brew, a beer made with ingredients grown right here in the city. Better yet, right here in the Garden. Over 120 Cascade hop vines have been planted between the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and community plots throughout the borough, laying the foundation for a beer so local that it only has to travel a few neighborhoods to reach your glass.
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Try and name a few important crops, just off the top of your head. Were grapes or hops found anywhere on that list? They probably weren’t the first plants to come to mind, but there’s almost no doubt whatsoever: they’re two of the most constant influences on culture throughout our history. Beer and wine have been the indulgence of choice for entire civilizations, from Pharaohs to Caesars and up through our modern society.

As part of our Botany of Indulgence classroom series (see: chocolate), Donald McClelland brings his homebrewing know-how to our Midtown classrooms for an in-depth chat on the art and science of fermentation, pegging perfect flavors, and the equipment needed to start your own cask or keg at home. His experience is soundly based on personal necessity (and the life of a student, of course).
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