Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Ingredient SpotlightBeerTea and Coffee

Hops deliver on beverage flavor trends

Craft beverages drive demand for a variety of hops

By Amanda Del Buono
Hopped Anchorhead
Beverage-makers are utilizing hops in a variety of categories to offer new, innovative flavors. (Image courtesy of Anchorhead Coffee)
April 15, 2016

Consumers have become more open to new flavors and innovations as interest in health and wellness and consuming natural and organic products continues to grow. Beverage-makers have utilized many methods and ingredients to bring these products to the market, and experts note that hops are providing a solution for beverages across myriad categories.

Niles, Ill.-based Imbibe’s Marketing Coordinator Ilana Orlofsky highlights how the growing interest in natural products has driven the use of hops and malts. “As consumers express a growing interest in products with a natural positioning, some alcohol brands are responding by better aligning themselves within the organic and natural segment,” she says. “And we should expect to see more follow suit in the next 12-18 months.”

Although malts are doing well as a result of the continued growth of the whiskey category, hops have experienced a more noticeable shift in demand. Al Murphy, vice president of sales for the alcohol division for Greensboro, N.C.-based Mother Murphy’s, notes the “five Cs” as trending hops varietals: Citra, Chinook, Centennial, Columbus and Cascade.

Murphy says that similar to teas and wines, the geographical location, weather, soil, etc. all will play a role in the flavor profile of a hop varietal and should be considered by any beverage-maker looking to use hops in a formulation. Additionally, source supply also should be taken into account, he says. 

“Hop farms are growing, but certain types of hops are hard to source, such as Citra,” he says. “Some types of hops can grow more easily (Cascade) in certain parts (geographically) compared to others, which are not easily grown.

“Weather patterns can impact the crop and have a huge effect on supply in the category,” he continues. “Many folks are starting to grow their ‘local’ hops, so hopefully in the future, we will have more options and hops for a variety of products.”

Flavor crafting

Flavor is considered the most important aspect of any beverage formulation. With millennials driving the demand for new flavors, beverage-makers have begun to utilize hops and malts to deliver unique flavors and innovations.

“The influence and increased interest in global flavors, in addition to the rise of craft breweries, also contributes to the demand for more unique flavors,” Imbibe’s Orlofsky says. “Another development that is currently trending is the practice of adding distilled hops oil to beer. Sierra Nevada is one company that has found success in this space — the result: a fresher, hoppy profile with citrus nuances, as well as a higher IBU (international bitterness unit).

“We expect to see an increase in the use of distilled hops oils, especially at beer breweries,” she continues. “These oils will add complexity by enhancing either citrus or floral notes and by contributing to an increased IBU. In order to create unique beverages, craft breweries will also continue to be interested in more varietals of hops, which will, in turn, capture the palates of millennials and Gen Xers, many of whom crave bold and exotic flavor combinations.”

The bitterness provided by hops also is a growing flavor trend, Mother Murphy’s Murphy says. “Bitterness is a growing theme compared to sweetness,” he says. “The growing theme of bitterness has also grown within the mixology segment with bartenders making their own bitters.”

Although bartenders are making their own bitters, the craft segment is driving demand for a variety of hops, Murphy notes. Additionally, he says that hops also are being used to innovate new products, most notably within the craft segment.

“IPA is the largest segment of [the] craft brewing category,” Murphy says. “IPA’s are all about hops and playing on bitterness rather than sweetness with malts. … Many cider makers are starting to blend hops with ciders to create new beverages and concoctions.”

He adds that the company has seen an influx in flavored hop requests from beverage manufacturers across all beverage categories that are looking to differentiate their portfolios. “Folks are looking for the next big thing and are taking the conceptual idea of hops from the beer category,” he says. “I’ve seen hops used in ciders, waters, coffees and cordials.”

For example, Anchorhead Coffee, Duvall, Wash, offers a ready-to-drink (RTD) hopped cold-brew coffee using Citra hops.

Imbibe’s Orlofsky adds that RTD cocktails/flavored malt beverages also have utilized flavored hops. “The RTD cocktail trend has also propelled the use of hops and malts, which we’re seeing through an increase of hard ciders and sodas, especially alcoholic ginger and root beers,” she says. “Utilizing flavored malts allows for more innovation in the adult beverage category, as many of these beverages have a beer base, which is a somewhat saturated market.”

She notes Henry’s Hard Sodas, a recent innovation from MillerCoors, Chicago, as one example. Additionally, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, launched its newest venture Best Damn Brewing Co., which has released three SKUs as part of its line of hard sodas. 

KEYWORDS: cold brew coffee craft beer flavor trends hard sodas hops and malts

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Amanda del buono

Amanda Del Buono, former associate editor of Beverage Industry, wrote and edited for the magazine’s print and online components. She also represented the magazine at trade shows and events. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from The University of Missouri - Columbia.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • top 100 beverage companies

    Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

    For the global beverage market, mergers and acquisitions...
    Beverage News
  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Alternative Drinks
    By: Lauren Sabetta
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

Sting Energy

PepsiCo, Sting Energy unveil global partnership with Formula 1

PepsiCo + poppi

PepsiCo completes acquisition of poppi

people drinking Wynk

Mindful drinking prompts growth for THC beverages

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

June 26, 2025

FAST. FOCUSED. FUELED: Delivering Energy Consumers Can Feel

Learn how to formulate products that deliver the energy experiences that people want, and keep them coming back for more.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Beverage News

    Toppling Goliath, Wisconsin Brewing form partnership

    See More
  • Ginger

    Millennials, clean labels impact beverage flavor selection

    See More
  • Nescafe products

    Beverage-makers turn to coffee ingredients for functionality, flavor innovation

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • June 19, 2024

    Fresh Take for Craft Beverage Alcohol

    On Demand In this webinar, discover how craft purveyors are balancing the traditions of beverage alcohol, but also supporting the non-alcohol revolution.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing