What Can I Make With Hops?- Hops Recipes

Medicine Making With Hops

To recap from my previous post, hops make excellent medicine for several health issues and have centuries of use behind them. Here are there ways in which hops may benefit your health-

• Digestive support

• Hormonal support

• Sleep promoting

• Anxiety relief

• Skin support

• Metabolic balance

  
  

Hop Garlands For Decoration

I love to see hops as decoration, adorning beams or strung in the kitchen. Mine dry on a clothes airer above my stove. An airing cupboard could be used or dry above a radiator.

Hop Pillows

Create small pillows to help with sleep, fill muslin bags with dry herbs including hops and lavender, secure with ribbon or ties and place under your regular pillow.

Herbal Medicine-Making With Hops

Getting Equipment Assembled

Hop Aperitif Recipe to Support Digestion

`Hops are often found in aperitif beverages, these are designed to be taken in small amount before meals to promote healthy digestion. The aromatic bitters in hops act upon bitter receptors to stimulate digestive processes including-

• Release of digestive juices

• Prevent indigestion

• Soothe the stomach

• Stimulate sluggish liver

• Improve metabolism

• Support gut health

Ingredients

1 bottle of sherry

1 1/2 oz fresh or dried hop flowers

Directions

1. Place your weighed hops into a sterilised jar

Hops Aperitif

2. Pour over a bottle of sherry to cover

3. Macerate for 24 hours then strain and bottle in sterilised bottle

Hop Aperitif

Directions For Use

Take a small glassful before meals

Hop Recipe For Peri-menopause/menopause Support

As discussed in my previous post, hops contain oestrogen precursors that once activated in the gut produce very potent phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens give us support when natural oestrogen is in decline and may help with the symptoms of oestrogen deficiency including hot flashes. Hops can help with anxiety and sleep issues at this challenging time and support metabolic processes to help prevent weight gain.

A simple infusion or tea can be prepared and drunk either hot or bottled and drunk throughout the day cold.

Hop Infusion/Tea

Ingredients

1-2 dried or fresh hop cones

2 cups boiling water

Honey to taste (optional)

Hop Infusion/Tea

Directions

1. Place hop cones in teapot

2. Pour over boiling water]

3. Infuse for 5 mins

4. Add sweetener if preferred

5. Strain and drink or allow to cool

Directions For Use

Drink as a warm tea 2-3 times daily. Alternatively, allow to cool and bottle to sip throughout the day or whenever experiencing a hot flash.

Golden Hoppy Milk

Hops have long been associated with sleep-inducing effects, these were observed in hop-pickers who became sleepy in the daytime whilst picking hops. Try a hoppy drink before bed to help promote sleep.

Ingredients

2 cups of milk of choice

1-2 dried or fresh hops

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 cardamon pod

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsps honey

Directions

1. Heat the milk in a small pan together with all other ingredients

2. Simmer for 10 mins

3. Strain into cups

Directions For use

Drink before bedtime. You can experiment with other herbs such as lavender or valerian.

Hops Anxiety Drops

You can make a tincture from fresh or dried hops and use in a dropper bottle as a single tincture.

Fresh Hops Tincture

Ingredients

Fresh hops (enough to fill a clean jar)

40 % proof vodka (enough to cover hops)

Directions

1. Fill your clean jar with hops

2. Pour over vodka to cover

3. Leave for 4-6 weeks

4. Strain through mesh or cheesecloth

5. Bottle in sterilised bottles

Directions For Use

Add some of your tincture to a small, clean dropper bottle and take up to 2ml 3 times daily as required.

Hops Vinegar For Metabolic Support

The digestive action of hops supports a healthy metabolism, stimulates a sluggish liver and has an anti-obesity action by the production of secondary, anti-inflammatory metabolites by the microbiome. Infusing hops flowers in apple cider vinegar combines benefits of both in support of metabolic health and glucose metabolism.

Ingredients

1 bottle of apple cider vinegar preferably organic and raw

Handful of dried or fresh hop cones

Directions

1. Half fill sterilised jar with hops

2. Cover with apple cider vinegar

3. Leave to macerate for 1-2 days

4. Strain and bottle in sterilised bottle

Directions For Use

Take 5-10 mls before meals

Hops-Infused Oil

This could be used for cooking, as part of dressings or marinade, but for this blog I would like to focus on the skincare benefits of hops which include-

• Anti-inflammatory

• Antioxidant

• Antimicrobial

• Soothing

• Moisturising

• Anti-aging

• Anti-wrinkle

These actions make hops very suitable for calming sensitive skin, for treating acne and supporting ageing skin.

Ingredients

Fresh/dried hops (couple of handfuls)

Olive oil (enough to cover hops)

Directions

1. Fill a sterilised jar with the hops

2. Cover with the olive oil or other suitable carrier oil

3. Macerate for 4-5 days shaking regularly

4. Strain and bottle in sterilised bottles

Hops can also be infused in oil or honey using a warm method. Place hops and oil or honey in a bain-marie and heat gently for 10 mins, strain and bottle

Directions For Use

Use your oil to add to skincare creations including face oils, balms and creams. Always skin test first on a small patch of skin. Keep following for more details on making herbal cosmetics.