| There are two main beer-making ingredients that you | | | | Barley is another main ingredient in beer. Barley is a |
| can grow. Both hops and barley can be grown at | | | | grain, commonly grown throughout the Northern |
| home if you want. | | | | Hemisphere. It is grown as a major cereal food as |
| Hops are known by the scientific name humulus. It is | | | | well as for animal feed. There are several types of |
| commonly referred to as hops vines, however the | | | | barley. Each type has a different protein and enzyme |
| term vine is misleading. The hops plant is actually a | | | | content and therefore produces different styles of |
| bine plant. These plants use stiff stems with hairs to | | | | beer. High protein barley is used to produce malt |
| aid in climbing. They will wrap themselves around | | | | beer. Two-row barley is used in traditional English |
| something in a clockwise fashion to grow. They grow | | | | style ales. Six-row barley is used primarily in lager |
| very quickly, growing from 20cm to 50cm per week | | | | beer. Four-row barley is not suitable for use in |
| during peak growth periods. | | | | brewing. |
| Hops are perennial plants and are most commonly | | | | It takes a lot of room to produce barley and it |
| grown in the temperate regions of the Northern | | | | cannot be grown well indoors as it needs quite a tall |
| Hemisphere. They are rather easy to grow and can | | | | space. Unless you have a large field, you may not be |
| be grown indoors or out. Hops are susceptible to | | | | able to grow your own barley. Picking and husking |
| certain types of insects, so caution needs to be | | | | barley can be a tedious process. |
| taken to prevent insect infestation. Hops flower | | | | While growing your own ingredients for beer can be |
| during summer and the flower seedpod is the actual | | | | rewarding and economical, unless you have the time |
| hops. These can be picked after the seed is formed, | | | | and the space you may want to leave the growing |
| usually in August. The hops are then air-dried for | | | | of hops or barley to others. |
| several days at which time they are ready for use. | | | | |
