Revolutionising the brew

It may look like something you’d sprinkle on your breakfast cereal, but a new hop product created in Nelson Tasman is here to revolutionise beer, not bowls.

Flake-It, a dehydrated hop product, has been created locally by Wairoa Hop Extracts, a company led by Cam Ealam and Rob Goodman.

It’s transparent, feather-light and fully water-dispersible, and promises easier storage and reduced wastage – without sacrificing the true, variety-specific aroma or flavour.

Although it sounds complicated, Cam, an experienced hop grower at Holmdale Farm in Wakefield, says the process behind the product is “relatively simple”.

“We capture the compounds contained within hops in a way that protects the volatiles as much as possible,” he explains.

“Through a unique process, this is dehydrated and turned into a hop flake, maximising the aroma and flavour that brewers and beer drinkers alike are after.”

The flakes apparently taste pretty good on their own, too – they have even been added to sausages.

As part of an ongoing trial phase, Sprig + Fern Brewing Co has brewed two beers with Flake-It – one made from Motueka hops, the other from Nelson Sauvin – which are now available to try.

Owner and master brewer, Tracy Banner, says she has seen many brewing innovations in her more than 40 years in the industry and says the results from using the flakes were “astonishing”.

“There was a reasonable amount of time spent in the lab, assessing dosing rates, confirming that the flakes fully dissolved and offered the desired characteristics.

“I think they’re on to something here – the hop flakes offer a number of advantages, and we are certainly keen to explore their use in other products in our range.”