In the UK alone, there are close to

In the UK alone, there are close to 30 varieties of commercially grown hops, all of which offer unique and aromatic flavours to brewers. Beer sommeliers, for example, have good cause to rave about the spicy, honey, earthy characteristics of the East Kent Goldings hops. Or the ‘Target’ hops, which are known for introducing a hint of cedar, pine and liquorice to the brew.

In its heyday, back in the 1870s, British farmers planted over 70,000 acres of hops. Today, the picture looks drastically different. Last count, only 2,500 acres of hops were grown, most of which in the regions of Kent, Worcester and Hereford.

So, what’s taking the 'hop' out of the British countryside? In short, foreign, more exotic hops. Imports of hops from the Czech Republic, the US and even New Zealand are offering brewers more varied and interesting flavours.

So successful are the imports, especially amongst microbreweries, that they pose a very real threat to the homegrown varieties. Many fear that if the hop acreage continues to drop, so too will the infrastructure for picking and processing, not to mention the expertise that comes with practice.

In fact, some hops merchants foresee the dying out of the industry in Britain in as short a period as a decade if no preemptive action is taken.

Fortunately, some action has been taken. In 2012, over 20 British breweries started their own version of the Oktoberfest. They gathered at the Kent Green Hop Beer Fortnight to breathe some life back into the industry. This year, the 4th annual Beer Fortnight will be held from 25th September to 11th October.

Taking a fresh approach, the breweries opted for fresh, homegrown ‘green’ hops instead of the usual dried hop recipes. Added to the beer less than 12 hours after being harvested, these green hops contain fresh oils, usually lost in the drying process, giving the beer a unique, light and fresh flavour.

So pay attention to your next British brew. Is it fresh? Earthy and spicy? Or something else entirely?