The wild hop plant, a herbaceous climber, was already known to be edible and flavorsome in the Roman Imperial period (Pliny, Naturalis historia 21, 86) [4. 73]. Its therapeutic effects (purifying the blood, purgative, gentle on the digestion) were advertised from the 8th century at least, as it began to be cultivated in monastery and imperial villa gardens [1. 803 f.]; [2. 79, 173]; [6. 40]; [11. 50]. It was increasingly widespread as a crop and market product in the late Middle Ages, grown especially in the environs of the Hanseatic ports, Brandenburg, Sile…
Hops (798 words)
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Konersmann, Frank, “Hops”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 22 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_021108>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180915
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