Hops 1815 - 1850

I was very pleased to find some statistics on where hops were produced. It seems little has changed over the last couple of centuries. Though there were small amounts produced all over England, the overwhelming majority came from Sussex, Kent, Hereford and Worcester.


Hops
The hop harvest was very inconsistent. The plant was susciptible to damage from cold winds, night frost, pests and disease. Goldings were the most tender. Canterbury and Flemish hops were hardier. (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 28.) The price for hops could vary wildly, because of the uncertain nature of the harvest. (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 29.)

About two thirds of hops were grown in either Kent or Sussex. (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 30.) In 1819, based on the duty charged on hops, the following were the districts producing the largest quantity of hops:

Sussex__________32.1%
Rochester (Kent)___30.01%
Canterbury (Kent)__21.19%
Essex___________0.96%
Hereford_________8.21%
Lincoln__________2.03%
Sarum__________1.98%
Worcester________1.86%

Kent, Sussex and Hereford & Worcester between them produced 93% of the total crop. (Source: "The Spirit, Wine Dealer's and Publican's Guide", by Edward Palmer, London, 1824 pages 247-249.)

The hops a brewer used were not necessarily local. As very few were grown in most parts of the country, this isn't surprising. In Scotland, the preference was for those from Kent, which accounted for 90% of the hops used in Edinburgh. (Source: "Scottish Ale Brewer", WH Roberts, Edinburgh, 1847, page 46.)

Yearling hops - those more than 12 month old - were less valuable, selling for 25-30% less than fresh hops. "However carefully they be preserved, this effect will ensue, and, indeed, they will have lost so much of their aroma, as to be unfit to be used for the finer kind of ales." (Source: "Scottish Ale Brewer", WH Roberts, Edinburgh, 1847, page 46-47.)

Hops were packaged in two different ways, according to their type. Pale, fine-flavoured hops were packed into sacks called pockets that contained approximately 1.5 cwt (168 pounds). These were mostly purchased by Ale brewers. Strong-flavoured hops came in sacks made of a coarser material called bags, which contained around 3 cwt (336 pounds). Porter and Small Beer brewers were the main buyers of these. (Source: "A Practical Treatise on Brewing" by William Chadwick, 1835, page 16.)

To try to prevent hops losing their bitterness, on arrival at the brewery the pockets or bags could be pressed in screw frame, reducing them to two-thirds of their original size. (Source: "Brewing and Distillation" by Thomas Thomson and William Stewart, Edinburgh, 1849, page 172)

Types of hops

North Clay Hops, were grown on the heavy clay soils of Nottinghamshire and had a "rank" flavour that was highly-prized by some brewers. As the flavour was slow to fade, they were often used in strong Keeping Beers. (Source: "A Practical Treatise on Brewing" by William Chadwick, 1835, page 17.) "A strong and rank hop, fit only for porter-brewing, when mellowed by age." (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 29.)

Kent Hops were one of the better, more expensive kinds. (Source: "A Practical Treatise on Brewing" by William Chadwick, 1835, page 17.)

Golding hops were the best flavoured, but difficult to grow as they were particularly tender. They were mostly grown around Farnham in Surrey. (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 29.)

Farnham Hops, were the most expensive and had a delicate flavour. Not everyone was convinced that they were worth the extra that they cost. "Farnham hops, however deserving the reputation they bear, are by no means worth the difference in price given for them" (Source: "A Treatise on Brewing", Richardson.)

Worcester Hops were the mildest. (Source: "A Practical Treatise on Brewing" by William Chadwick, 1835, page 17.)

Flemish hops had a large flower, but a low weight and had a flavour unsuitable for Ales. (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 29.)

The Canterbury Grape was another well-flavoured variety grown extemsively in Ket and Sussex. (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 29.)

The best way to store hops was somewhere dry, closely packed together to exclude the air, which would evaporate the aromatic oils. (Source: "A Practical Treatise on Brewing" by William Chadwick, 1835, page 18.)

Levesque recommends matching the colour of hop to the colour of the beer being brewed: "In hopping your beers, use brown hops for brown beer, and pale coloured hops for all pale beers" (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 32.) He also believed hops should not be used too fresh: "New hops should not be brewed until after Christmas, except with a portion of old." (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 32.)

Hop dust was used, too. Costing about a quarter of the price of whole hops, a pound of dust was the equivalent of four pounds of whole hops. A proportion could be used in brown and common beer without adversely affecting flavour. (Source: "The Art of Brewing and Fermenting" by John Levesque, 1836, page 33.)