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Hops - a bine

No, that's not a typo (though I know I make more than my fair share). It is similar to a Vine, but vines climb by twisting or growing tendrils. Hops does neither; it has hairy, raspy stems which help it to cling through friction alone, and that is why this plant is a Bine.
Humulus lupulus is no doubt already known to you for the part it plays in beer brewing. However, historically, hops has had many other - shall I say unusual - uses: It was believed to be a bust enchancer. I believe that is entirely possible; many a bust has looked more enhanced to the male homo sapiens after ingesting hops in the form of beer!
Hops came to be used in beer during the 1700s when the Brits wanted a longer shelf life for their beers. Hops were found to increase the shelf life because, as we now know, it increases the alcoholic content of the beer, and alcohol (which we're all diligently using these days as hand sanitizer) kills bacteria, thus extending shelf life.

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Uploaded on Nov 3, 2009

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