hops
n. C / Un. the dried flowers of a climbing plant used to give beer its bitter flavor. They also help keep the beer fresh for longer.
n. the dried cone-like flowers of the Humulus lupulus vine, used in brewing as a bittering, flavoring, and stability agent. Usually plural in a culinary or industrial context.
This beer has a strong taste of fresh hops.
Brewers add different varieties of hops at various stages of the boiling process to balance sweetness with bitterness.
The craft beer revolution has led to a surge in demand for aromatic hops, with many microbreweries prioritizing floral and citrus notes over traditional bittering profiles.
Typically used in the plural form when referring to the ingredient in brewing; the singular 'hop' refers to the plant or a single flower.