This year's hop harvest has ended. It runs from February until early April, with 17 growers producing about 750 tonnes from about 20 varieties on about 400ha in the Nelson region.
More than 90% of it is exported - and there is big demand from Europe after a drought on the Continent and disease in Britain cut last year's production by about 25%.
Increasing demand is also coming from micro or craft breweries: the number in Italy and Spain has doubled in the past seven years, Britain now has 1400, and in the United States, where it is reckoned a new one starts up every 16 hours, there are nearly 3000. New Zealand has about 80.
The hop is a herb related to the cannabis, nettle and elm families. The first mention of it going into beer in Europe is in 1079 in Germany, mainly as a preservative to stop a brew going sour with age.
It had numerous other uses before that, including relief for cramp and to improve digestion. The protein in hops is said to make your hair and skin shinier. As a hop tea or extract it helps with insomnia - pillows filled with hops were used in field hospitals in World War 1 as tranquillisers and sedatives.
It might also be able to help with the common cold. There's no cure for the common cold, but enough vitamin C and, it seems, hops can help ward it off.
Japanese brewer Sapporo is studying a compound in hops called humulone that helps the body to fight the virus that causes the cold and is thinking about concentrating and adding the compound to drinks.
Until then, it takes about 30 cans to get enough humulone - or stick with the hot toddy of lemon, honey, cloves or cinnamon.
Monteith's has introduced a couple of new brews.
Pointers Pale Ale (4.3%) has a bit of wheat in it and five varieties of hops, which produce a tropical aroma and a hint of mandarin and peach flavour. (The pointers are alpha centauri and beta centauri - the 11th brightest star visible from Earth; the sun being the brightest - which, by imaging a line between them, points to the Southern Cross.)
It is in six (about $14) and 12 packs (about $27).
And then there is the little RIPA. This Red IPA (5.3%) is made from seven different malts, including chocolate, and has a grapefruit scent in the aroma followed by lovely malt flavours, a hint of spice and a touch of hop bite.
It is in six packs (about $15) and on tap in some places, including Monteith's bars.
Thirsty work
A survey shows that 85% of Otago residents have an unfinished project around the house.
So, Speight's is offering three $10,000 travel vouchers exclusively to Dunedin residents who want to get around to completing one.
And to help with the job, there are hundreds of Mitre 10 gift cards also on offer.
Enter at www.wewill.co.nz/ and watch a humorous video on www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MkrizVNRh4
