'Teamaker' Hops Offer Benefits Without Bite

'Teamaker' is a new hop variety released by scientists in the ARS Forage, Seed and Cereal Research Unit (FSCRU) in Corvallis, Ore. It has an alpha acid content of 0.6 to 1.8 percent, giving it the lowest alpha acid concentration of any commercially available hop variety. In addition, its beta acid levels (5.4 to 13.2 percent) are significantly higher than those found in most varieties.

An extremely high beta-to-alpha ratio gives Teamaker all the health benefits of traditional hops cultivars without their characteristic bitterness, creating opportunities for nontraditional uses. In addition to herbal teas, beta acids from hops can substitute for formalin in sugar processing.

Full Story