What is Hopped Malt Extract?
A hopped malt extract is a concentrated liquid made from malted barley that has been processed to break down starches into fermentable sugars. Unlike regular malt extract, hopped versions also contain hop oils, resins, and flavor compounds that have been added during the production process.

The hops are added very late in the extract manufacturing so their volatile hop compounds are preserved. This allows the hop characteristics to carry over intact into the final beer, imparting aromatic and flavor notes without the bitterness from alpha acids. Brewers gain the benefit of hops but without the full utilization or timing challenges of adding hops during the brewing itself.

Types of Hopped Extracts Available
With craft breweries seeking new hop varieties and flavor profiles, suppliers have responded with a wide range of hopped extracts to choose from. Some common options include:

- Classical International Hop Varieties: Extracts featuringnoble hops like Hallertau, Saaz, and Tettnang provide classicEuropean profiles of herbal, floral, and lightly spicy notes.

- American Hop Standouts: Citrusy and tropical-flavored varietieslike Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe translate beautifully into hoppedextracts for juicy IPAs and pale ales.

- Experimental options: Brewers can test less common hops likeEl Dorado, Calypso, and Loral with extracts before doing alarger batch.

- Blends: Multi-hop extracts offer balanced profiles,like West Coast and New World blends.

- Late Addition extracts: Adding late in the boil mimics aromaand flavor addition timings for a fresher hop character.

The variety of Hopped Malt Extract allow brewers to draw inspirationfrom established styles or get creative with unique combinations.

Using Hopped Extracts in Brewing
Due to the pre-hopping done during manufacturing, hopped extractscan be added to the brew kettle very easily in place of some ofthe base malt. A few guidelines on using them:

- Replace up to 25% of the base malt bill with extract for introductory hop characteristics. Over 25% may yield a heavier extract flavor.

- Add extract during the final 15 minutes of the boil to utilizehop aromas and flavors without bitterness.

- For very hop-forward beers, multiple hopped extracts can beused at different timing points - one at 15 minutes, another atflameout.

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