This is an office area so lots of folks here during the week, not so many on weekends. Please be aware of the muggles in the area and do not be obvious about your activities!
Hops: Humulus Lupulus – Since the 1500s, green flowers of the fast-growing hop vine have been used to preserve and flavor beer. Depending on how they are used, hops can primarily impart aroma, flavor or bitterness to the finished beer. Individual hop strains or varieties have distinct aroma/flavor attributes: some are herbal or woodsy, some minty or piney, and others citrus or even oniony. Brewers select specific varieties and plan their hop additions to sculpt the overall hop profile of the beer.
As hops are harvested just once each year in each growing region, they must be preserved for use throughout the year by brewers. Within a few hours of harvest, the hop cones are loaded onto a large drier and, once dry, compressed and baled. While some brewers prefer to store and use hops directly from these bales, others choose to “pelletize” their hops for easier storage and handling. This cache contains samples of both forms of hops: the whole cones and pellets. Both forms are used by brewers of all types—whether at home or at a large commercial brewery. Finally, while hops were once a secondary flavor in most beers, following malt’s lead, American craft brewers have made hops the primary flavor attribute in many of today’s beer styles. (e.g. IPA)