Found myself drinking lots of different beers in the past however I did not know why some beers falling withing the same style could be so different in terms of aroma and taste.

I hence started studying this and I hope the below might be a short but handy guide for your beery noses and palates.

Characteristics of hops in beer hops has several functions: it is a great preservative, stabilizer (especially regarding the aroma and the beer foam) and flavoring. Uses the flower (female) that contains several organic substances, each of which has a specific purpose for the Brewer. First, it must be said that not only contributes to the hop bitterness is present in a quantity of beer, but also taste and aroma. In fact there are a few types of hop according to these aspects and not to give bitterness to the beer. As we shall see, the amount of bitterness from hops BREW increases with time, while conversely decreases the aromatic contribution (which is volatile). Then the most aromatic hops are added towards the end of the boil, abandoning a contribution of bitterness that would still be limited; more hops "amari" are added at the beginning, because their aroma may not be pleasant.

The characteristic of a hops as regards the bitterness is his percentage of Alpha acids (YY%), while the Beta acids are somehow related to taste and aroma.

In summary, we have three categories:

1. Hops from bitter, which have a 6% to 10% from AA% or more. They are placed usually at the start of boiling. Main varieties are: England: Brewers ' Gold, Bullion, Target Germany: pearls, Hallertau Magnum New Zealand: Pride of Ringwood United States: Chinook, Cluster, Heroic, Galena, Nugget
2. Hops from aroma, in which the AA% does not exceed 5% normally. Used towards the end of the boil. England: Goldings, Fuggles, Progress, First Gold Germany: Tettnang, Spalt, Hallertauer (Hersbrucker, Saphir and Mittelfruh) New Zealand: New Zealand Czech Republic Slovenia: Hallertau Saaz: Styrian Goldings United States: Cascade, Mt. Hood, Willamette, Liberty
3. Hops from aroma, in which the AA% does not exceed 5% normally. Used towards the end of the boil. England: Goldings, Fuggles, Progress, First Gold Germany: Tettnang, Spalt, Hallertauer (Hersbrucker, Saphir and Mittelfruh) New Zealand: New Zealand Czech Republic Slovenia: Hallertau Saaz: Styrian Goldings United States: Cascade, Mt. Hood, Willamette, Liberty