AVONDALE — There's hops a-brewin' in Avondale, but they won't be found in any IPA.
Instead, they're destined for Hop Pop, a new product hitting shelves this week. The hops-infused pop offers the bite of hops and ginger in a bubbly, non-alcoholic drink that "reins you in and hurts so good," the company claims.
Zach Corn, 33, helped dream up the idea for a hops-flavored pop with four co-workers at Barrel Maker Printing in Avondale.
The screen-printing and promotional product company is based at 3065 N. Rockwell St., just down the street from the developing Rockwell Street complex. Its neighbors include Metropolis Coffee, Coyle & Herr, and soon, Metropolitan Brewing.
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Nine months ago, Corn and his buds began testing flavors and formulas. One friend tried out recipes in his kitchen until they tasted sweet, citrusy success.
Along with the two varieties of hops, Hop Pop is made with lemon, lime and ginger. Some say the final version has a good, hoppy burn to it, while others liken the taste to gummy bears. It boasts all-natural ingredients and a "sweet tingle that gives way to a bitter finish."
The gang will bottle its first 5,000 units this week. While they initially wanted to make cans, orders typically must come in truckloads of about 200,000.
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For now, bottles will do. As Hop Pop gets off the ground, Corn and his partners hope to distribute to bars and grocery stores and develop more flavors.
"We'll let the popularity dictate how much we put into it," he said. For now, marketing is limited to social media and their own promotions. Corn, who lives in Avondale, said he's hoping to feature a create-your-own cocktail contest soon after Hop Pop launches.
Hop Pop comes in packs of four for $12, and its creators also hope to distribute to bars and grocery stores. [Provided/Hop Pop]
They already dreamed up 18 cocktails featuring Hop Pop, like the Irish 'N' Hoppy, made with Irish whiskey, peach schnapps and orange juice.
So for those not in the beer-making know: What exactly is a hop?
Actually, it's a flower; the cones of the female plant Humulus lupulus L. The plant's resin gives beer its bitter taste and help stabilize the brew and its foam, according to a 2014 review in the Journal of The Institute of Brewing:
"At its most simple, [brewing] encompasses the study of malt, yeast and hops," the article begins. "Compared with the large quantities of malt required in beer production, the amount of hops needed is significantly smaller. This minor ingredient has, however, a crucial impact on beer quality, and thus, hops are of paramount importance for beer brewing."
Almost 193 million pounds of hops were produced in 2015, according to the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, a leading guild in the industry that dates to 1886. Those hops grew on land close to the size of Chicago, and about 95 percent of them are used for brewing.
Historically, though, hops were also used as an anti-inflammatory or a medicinal tea. Cooking with hops has also become more popular, spawning recipes like hopped lemonade and hop chicken marinade.
Zach Corn (left) hoists a canister to make Hop Pop, a non-alcoholic drink that features heady and sweet hops. The idea for the beverage came to a group of co-workers nine months ago. [Provided/Hop Pop]
Hop Pop joins a growing list of hop-infused products, from a hop-flavored whiskey in Rhode Island to B-Hoppy candy from Michigan.
In Chicago, there's even beer-flavored cotton candy.
During Christmas, the hoppy Julmust is a hugely popular soft drink in Sweden — so much so that it outsold Coca-Cola during the holidays, cutting the company's sales in half until it began producing its own version. The traditional drink is made with a syrup of hop extract, malt aroma, sugar and spices.
Closer to home, Proper Soda Co. makes Hop Soda, in addition to drinks made with hibiscus and coffee. In Cincinnati, Hopwater launched last year and comes in original, ginger, lime and grapefruit flavors.
But Hop Pop is different, Corn said. It's sweeter, while other versions are "more like a tonic," he said.
Traditionally, the varieties of hops are sorted into bittering and aroma hops. Flavor hops gained traction in the past 20 years, offering fruity notes and giving brewers a way to explore new varieties.
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Hop Pop is made with citra hops — which have a melon or mango flavor — and fruity galaxy hops, known for their passionfruit and citrus notes.
Beer guzzlers can find citra hops in Three Floyds Zombie Dust, the Thirsty Dog Citra Dog and other heady IPAs. Revolution Brewing once made a Galaxy Hero IPA for the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo with the crisp finish.
Beer production has consistently increased through the decades, tripling since 1970 to a record 196 billion liters in 2013.
Beer-makers can even get professional diplomas in brewing. At the University of California, Davis, the 18-week Master Brewers course costs $16,000 and requires pre-calculus as a pre-requisite and experience in sciences like chemical engineering or physics.
Its wait list extends into 2018.
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