# Hops...Other Uses?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 9, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798 "2009-03-09T02:58:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798/1 "2009-03-09T02:58:16Z")

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Other than beer, what are hops used for?

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### Author: ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798/2 "2009-03-09T03:13:25Z")

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For propagating the hop plant species? 😉

Seriously, though, from [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hops) alone I can see that they are used to flavor some other drinks, such as [julmust](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julmust), and in herbal medicine. But outside of that, they seem to be little used.

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### Author: ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798/3 "2009-03-09T03:34:08Z")

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Hops were also stuffed in pillows as they were supposed to have a mild soporific effect. I have no idea how true that might be.

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### Author: ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798/4 "2009-03-09T03:59:51Z")

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That’s pretty much what Wikipedia gives for their medicinal use. In more detail:

> [@](#):
>
> Hops are also used in herbal medicine in a way similar to valerian, as a treatment for anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia. A pillow filled with hops is a popular folk remedy for sleeplessness. Hops may be used alone, but more frequently they are combined with other herbs, such as valerian. The relaxing effect of hops is largely due to a specific chemical component: dimethylvinyl carbinol.[sup][[21]](http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_hops.htm)[/sup] Hops tend to be unstable when exposed to light or air and lose their potency after a few months’ storage.[[sup][22][/sup]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hops#cite_note-21)

ETA: The source number 21 is not what I’d consider terribly reliable, so I’m not prepared to vouch for the efficacy of hops as an effective remedy of any kind.

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### Author: ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798/5 "2009-03-09T04:23:50Z")

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The ‘herbal medicine’ use is usually as tea[sup]\*[/sup]. You can buy hops tea from some places.  
\*‘herbal tea’ or ‘tisane’ if you want to quibble over the word.

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### Author: ![cuberdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@cuberdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuberdon)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hops-other-uses/488798/6 "2009-03-09T16:34:21Z")

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I have read that the very young shoots can be eaten, like asparagus.

I have not put it to the test.