EVALUATION OF HOPS V. THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF HOPS

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Abstract
The aromatic constituents of hops have been analysed by gas chromatography. The essential oil comprises a mixture of hydrocarbons and of oxygenated materials, these two main fractions being readily separated by chromatography on silica gel. The hydrocarbons, which account for 70–80% of the total oil, comprise mainly myrcene, caryophyliene and humulene in proportions varying according to the source. The more complex oxygenated fraction contains considerable amounts of esters of at least 12 fatty acids-both straight and branched chain-containing four to 10 carbon atoms. As this oxygenated material distils very rapidly in steam it is likely to be absent from beer prepared according to normal hop-boiling conditions.