Hops: what the cones are used for, how to prepare them, and when to leave them alone

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Hops is the climbing vine behind the bitterness in beer — but the same papery cones have a long life in home herbalism, mostly as an evening infusion or a sleep pillow. This page sets out what the plant is, which part you use, how to brew and pack it, what it tastes like, and who should steer clear.

Hops at a glance

• Read also: how to grow hops
• More on this plant: all our hops articles

A plant with a long past

• Grown widely on the American continent, and in Europe most notably in France, Germany and Belgium, where it is dried for brewing.
• Three main cultivated groups are usually named: Chinese hops, Japanese hops and European hops.
• Old country names include Vineyard of the North, Native Smilax and Devil’s wood.
• It also earns its keep as an ornamental, throwing up a dense opaque screen in a single season.

What it is credited with

• Restless evenings and light sleep — this is the use hops is best known for. Herbalists reach for the cones as an evening infusion, and the reputation is strong enough that dried cones are the classic filling for a sleep pillow.
• Nervous tension and irritability — European folk herbalism has long credited hops with a quietening, settling quality for people who feel wound up at the end of the day.
• A bitter for the appetite — like most bitter plants, hops is traditionally taken before a meal to wake up the appetite and settle a nervous stomach.
• Heavy, sluggish digestion — naturopathy places hops among the bitter aromatics used after a rich meal.
• Aching, stiff joints — traditional practice warmed the cones dry and laid them on the sore spot in a cloth pouch.
• Hair and scalp — hops extracts have a long cosmetic reputation in rinses and shampoos aimed at hair that lacks body.
• A calming plant for men — old herbals classed hops as anaphrodisiac, the opposite of a stimulant, and it was used that way during convalescence.
• In Chinese and Japanese tradition, Humulus scandens has its own history as a tonic and a bitter, used quite separately from the European plant.

How to use it

The evening infusion

• Use a level teaspoon of dried female cones, crumbled, per cup of just-boiled water.
• Cover and steep 7 to 10 minutes — covering matters, the aromatics leave with the steam.
• Strain, add honey to taste. The bitterness is real; honey and a little lemon balm or chamomile make it much easier to finish.
• Traditionally drunk about half an hour before bed, one cup.
• For appetite and digestion, the same infusion is taken shortly before a meal rather than at night.

A stronger brew

• For a fuller extraction, put a generous handful of cones in a litre of water, bring just to the boil, take off the heat and let it sit, covered, for around ten minutes.
• Some herbalists let the cones macerate in the cooled liquid overnight, then gently rewarm, saying it holds on to more of the resins.
• Keep leftovers in the fridge and use within a day.

The sleep pillow

• Fill a small cotton pouch with dried cones, sew or tie it shut, and slip it inside your pillowcase.
• Crush the pouch between your hands before bed to release the scent.
• Refresh the cones each season — once the smell has gone, so has the point.

The warm dry pouch

• Heat whole cones in a dry pan over a low flame, stirring, until warm and fragrant — not scorched.
• Tip them into a cloth pouch and lay it on stiff shoulders, a tired lower back or aching joints.
• Test the temperature on your inner wrist first. Never apply to broken or inflamed skin.

In the kitchen

• Young spring shoots are cooked like asparagus — blanched briefly, then buttered or served with a poached egg.
• Hops has a second kitchen life as a base for natural bread leaven, the old hop-yeast starters of the Canadian northwest and Alaska.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: a covered cup of hop-cone infusion half an hour before bed, sweetened with honey, is the simplest and most traditional way to use this plant.

Which part of the hop plant do I actually use?

The female flowers, called cones or strobiles, and the sticky yellow lupulin powder inside them. Male flowers and leaves are not used. Young shoots are a separate, purely culinary use, cooked like asparagus in spring.

Does hops tea taste as bitter as beer?

Yes, frankly bitter, with a resinous, hay-like edge. Steeping no longer than ten minutes keeps it drinkable, and honey helps a great deal. Blending the cones with chamomile, lemon balm or lime blossom is the usual fix.

When should I harvest my own cones?

From early autumn to late autumn, once the cones feel papery rather than soft and leave yellow lupulin on your fingertips. Dry them flat in the shade, then store them airtight in the dark. Replace them each season, as the aroma fades quickly.

Can I use hops if I am already taking something to help me sleep?

Not without asking first. Hops is sedative and its effect adds to that of sleeping aids, sedatives, antihistamines and alcohol. Anyone on medication, pregnant, breastfeeding, or with a hormone-sensitive condition should check with a healthcare professional before taking it internally.

Is a hops pillow as useful as drinking it?

It is much gentler, and it is the option folk practice kept for children’s rooms and for anyone who cannot take the plant internally. Crush the pouch between your hands at bedtime to release the scent, and refill it each season.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.