What are hops?

Hops are flowers that are added to beer during brewing. They give beer its bitter taste and smell.

Have you ever tried beer? What did it taste like?

Hops are tall, climbing plants and can grow over 5 metres (15 feet) tall. Only the female plants have flowers. The pale green flowers are called cones.

Hops begin to flower in July. Petals grow and form the cones. Inside these petals yellow lupulin glands form. It is these glands that give out the bitter taste. By September the cones are ready to be picked from the bines.