Humulus lupulus, is a climbing hardy herbaceous perennial. Hops are the female flower cones or 'strobiles' of the plant. The hop vines, called bines, are usually grown up strings called a hopfield or hop garden.
Leaves and shoots are eaten either cooked or in salads, the flavour is said to be delicious. Hops are used as a sedative and relaxant. Sleeping on a pillow filled with hops is said to help insomnia.

Hops are used as a flavouring and stability agent in the manufacturing of beer, medicinal teas and in herbal medicine. Hops contain several characteristics favourable to beer, balancing the sweetness of the malt with bitterness, contributing flowery, citrus, fruity or herbal aromas, and having an antibiotic effect that favours the activity of brewer's yeast.

If you want to create your own beer with the freshest hops in the world ... grow your own. Depending on growing conditions you may get up to 1kg of dried hop flowers per plant. Flavour and aroma is based a lot on soil conditions, but is safe to say that the hops you grow would be unique!

Sowing:
Sow in Spring or Autumn at 5°C (41°F ) Sow in 7cm (3in) pots using a peaty soil, Cover with a ¼" of soil and keep moist at all times. Germination is irregular taking between 30 to 90 days. Transplant into pots and plant out in the following spring

Position: A
s the hops have an extensive bine system, you need to set up somewhere for the bines to grow and wrap around. Some growers plant a tall pole and run several wires outward from it, like an English May pole, or use a wire running between two poles at chest height. This makes picking very easy.

Planting out:
Once the plant is established transplant to the garden. The seed will have grown into a rhizome. Planting out in late winter or early spring. Make a small mound and place about 3cm (1½ in) below the surface, pointing vertically. Place 1m (36in) apart. Mulch and use slow release organic fertiliser.

Growing:
In the first year, frequent light watering is best. Established plants can get away with one good deep watering a day. At 50cm (20in), train three or four main bines onto a wire and cut back the rest. The bines will grow counter-clockwise up the wire. Be ruthless and you will get a better crop. Trim back during the spring and early summer.

Once the plant is 2m (6 to 7ft) high, trim away the bottom foliage up to a 1m (3ft) in height from the soil. Keep this bottom metre trimmed to help stop diseases.

Harvest:
You will not get any flowers in the first year as the plant is establishing the rootstock. The hops are ready for picking in mid-March to late May. The hop cone will turn from a moist silky feel to being dry and papery. When the edges begin to turn brown they are ready to be picked. They will ripen at various stages.

Drying:
Drying your hops is vital. Brewing with fresh hops is not desirable unless you like your beer tasting like lawn clippings. Hop cones can also go moldy quickly if stored fresh. The best quality hops are air-dried in the dark. (Although it can be done in an oven on low heat for a few hours)
Weigh your fresh hops. Once dried, the weight of your hops will be 10 to 25% of the original weight. When you think they are dry, re-weigh your hops to make sure they are dry enough. When the flowers feel brittle they are ready to store.
Store hops in the freezer. Place in zip-loc bags and remove the air.

Trimming back:
When winter arrives your hop bines will defoliate. Trim back to ground level. You can trim back at harvest like commercial growers or leave the plant until it actually starts to die back. It doesn’t matter; it is your choice.

Tea:
Pour 150ml of boiling water over 1 to 2 teaspoons (0.5gm) of cut or powdered strobile Steep 10-15 minutes, strain. Drink 2 or 3 times a day and before going to bed.

Classification:
Formerly placed in the mulberry family (Moraceae), but is now in the marijuana family (Cannabaceae) along with marijuana or Indian hemp (Cannabis sativa). These are the only two genera in this family.

Other info:
Hops are now recognized for their strong estrogenic activity and are being included in some herbal preparations for women for "breast enhancement" (!)