September means harvest time for hops in the northern hemisphere. The cones on the plant are then fully developed and packed with flavor compounds such as hop resins and hop oils. Most hops are dried and processed into pellets for easier processing by brewers. You can also use fresh, “wet hops,” for brewing beer. The hops are then picked fresh and processed into beer as quickly as possible, preferably the same day. Last week Kees personally drove to hop farmer Bart Boerhaave of Belhop in Popering. Bart picked a number of plants and harvested the hop cones. Then Kees drove back to the brewery with 50 kilograms of fresh Centennial hops, where the brewing team was already waiting. The hops were incorporated into the beer within three hours of being picked. The wet hops were added after fermentation, so you can speak of wet hopping