Hop Terpenes: Liquid Gold for Brewers

Do you want to take your brewing operation to the next level? Hop terpenes are a great way to add interesting highlights to your beers, accentuating in-demand flavors and aromas for the next unique libation. Here’s why terpenes can be liquid gold for craft and microbrewers seeking to enhance their beers naturally.

What are Hop Terpenes?

Terpenes are chemical compounds found in nearly all plants and that have a distinct effect on how they taste and smell. In the hops plant, terpenes are particularly concentrated and varied, contributing to the distinct flavor profiles of different styles of beers. 

By adjusting the amount and type of hop terpenes in your beer, you can develop signature flavors and aromas. Creating terpene-infused beers can take a once ordinary ale or lager and give them new and improved profiles consumers will love and come back for again and again.

Why Add Terpenes to Beer?

Beer naturally contains terpenes due to the presence of hops. However, adding extra hop allows brewers to create unique flavor profiles, creating opportunities for microbrewers and craft brewers to enhance and standardize their products beyond what's possible through more traditional brewing processes. 

The naturally occurring hop terpenes in beer give your brew its nice hoppy flavor. You can then add more terpenes to take a bland beer from mildly interesting to an incredibly desirable, complex beverage in just a few steps. These extra hop terpenes can add a kick of peppery spice, a pleasant jolt of tart citrus, or even a soft floral sweetness, perfect for toning down a sturdy IPA.

Supply chain challenges for hops, especially for new cultivars, can prove challenging. Nothing is worse than producing a killer new brew that everyone wants, but that you cannot source the hops cones for due to seasonal agricultural variability or supply contracts that restrict access.

Choosing the right terpenes to add to your beer means you can balance out strong flavors and add a touch of intrigue to milder ones. It can also spare you some logistical headaches in ingredient sourcing.  You might be surprised at what the right terpene added to your favorite microbrew or craft beer can do to elevate its taste and smell.  

Solubilizing Terpenes into Beer: Brewing with Liquid Hop Terpenes

Adding terpenes to beer is a complex process. Most terpenes are lipophilic and hydrophobic, meaning they have low water solubility, and adding them to beer can be challenging. Spoke Sciences has the perfect solution designed to provide water-dispersible hop essential oils and terpenes for enhanced beer aroma and flavor. 

Terpene inspiration: What terpenes to add to beer for enhanced taste and aroma

These select hop terpenes can transform your craft beers and microbrews:

Beta-caryophyllene

A popular hop terpene, beta-caryophyllene, is also found in many other plants, including allspice, black pepper, cannabis, cinnamon, cloves, lavender, oregano, and rosemary. It brings an earthy spiciness to the table, with distinct clove notes peeking through — perfect for a comforting, holiday-themed beer.

Humulene

Humulene is the most prolific terpene found in hops, and adding more will definitely hop-up traditional hoppy notes. Familiar plants known for humulene content include basil, sage, and ginseng. Add this terpene to blonds, Belgians, lagers, and wheat ales for a more robust, hoppy flavor and aroma.

Alpha-pinene

Alpha-pinene is abundant in hops but more well known for its strong presence in conifer trees, as well as in dill and parsley. Unsurprisingly, adding this terpene yields a herbaceous, bitter flavor with a piney scent. Alpha-pinene is ideal for bolstering sweeter, low-hop beers for a seasonally appropriate robust flavor and smell.

Myrcene

Myrcene is common in hops but a sweeter, spicier terpene than humulene or alpha-pinene. Also found in cannabis, cardamom, lemongrass, mangos, and sweet basil, myrcene’s flavor profile is sharp and earthy, with mango notes seeping through for some imbibers. Add it to darker beers to keep the flavor from being overwhelming.

Linalool

Structurally related to myrcene, linalool is found in hops, lavender, laurel, mint, and various citrus plants. Its floral, fruity flavor can perfectly complement lighter beers and pale ales, but try it with stout brews to subtly take the edge off.  

Limonene

Limonene is found in hops, citrus fruits, mint, pine, and juniper. Its citrusy flavor profile is tempered with berry undernotes, making ordinary beers brighter and more flavorful without overwhelming the natural hop flavor. 

Farnesene

Besides making a strong appearance in hops and cannabis plants, farnesene is abundant in cedarwood bark, ginger, grapefruit, and green apples. You can't go wrong with this unique terpene for a tart, sweet, and spicy flavor adjustment.

And obviously, there are no rules saying you have to stick with just one terpene. Experimenting with terpene blends can help you create customized beers to offer-up to your consumers and to expand your brand as a microbrewery that is more innovative than the norm.  

IsoCaps HOP100

IsoCaps is Spoke Sciences' proprietary method of incorporating lipophilic substances into stable, water-dispersible nanoparticles that can readily be incorporated into any beverage. IsoCaps HOP100 makes adding flavor and aroma to your beer easy and develops bespoke varieties to set your brewery apart.

Contact us to learn more about formulating with Spoke Sciences’ IsoCaps HOP100 and deliver an incredible product that encourages consumers to choose your brewery’s options over your competitor’s.