Hop water—a refreshing, hop-forward beverage that delivers the essence of big, hoppy beers without the alcohol—is gaining momentum in the industry. For Chris Baum, owner and head brewer at Varietal Beer Co. in Sunnyside, WA, the journey to creating the perfect hop water combined creativity, technical problem solving, and a deep understanding of how hops work in beverages. Using Haas products like HopKick^® and Euphorics™, the Varietal team turned this vision into a reality.

Inspired by hops
Baum’s drive to create exceptional hop water began with tasting existing products that fell short of the bold, “hoppy” characteristics he desired. “When I started using HopKick in a couple of beers,” he shares, “I realized it would be a great product for a hop water. Once I was introduced to [the trial product that would eventually become] Euphorics, I knew that I had all the ingredients I was looking for to make a hop water that tasted like the components of hops I wanted without the parts I didn’t.”

Overcoming challenges
Creating hop water wasn’t without its hurdles for Varietal. One of the biggest challenges they faced was ensuring food safety, a critical factor when dealing with a non-alcoholic product. Unlike beer, which benefits from several safeguards, hop water requires stringent sanitation protocols and precise pH adjustments to stay safe for packaging and consumption. The Varietal team conducted extensive small-batch trials, starting with boiling reverse osmosis (RO) water to ensure no harmful pathogens were present. Additionally, they set a target pH of 3.1 in the kettle to keep the liquid safe throughout production and added potassium metabisulfite 24 hours before packaging to ensure stability.

Carbonation also posed a unique challenge. Varietal wanted their hop water to reach a higher level of carbonation than most beers—around 3.2–3.3 volumes of CO₂, compared to a typical beer’s 2.5–2.7 volumes of CO₂. To be able to reach these heights, the team decided it was time to invest in a counter-pressure canning line. This new equipment not only manages the higher CO₂ levels but has the capability to be heat sanitized, adding another layer of cleanliness to the overall packaging process.

Perfecting the recipe
The journey to perfecting Varietal’s hop water, aptly named “Howl,” involved both art and science, with several benchtop trials. “We created a water with a mineral profile inspired by my favorite sparkling water,” says Baum. “We played with various flavoring agents over time but soon discovered that even though that water tasted amazing, the pH was too high to be safe in a package for consumers.” This led the team to start over and build the recipe back up with food safety in mind. “We have landed on a recipe that uses our RO water with a blend of salts to achieve a minerality we like,” Baum adds, “but with a pH that is in-line with food safety standards.”

The introduction of HopKick and Euphorics proved transformative. These Haas products allowed Chris to extract the bold hop character he craved and make several adjustments to dial in the exact flavor profile the team desired. Through careful experimentation, Varietal struck the perfect balance of overripe citrus and tropical fruit aromas, creating a profile reminiscent of a modern IPA but with the clarity and effervescence of a sparkling water.

With each adjustment, the recipe moved closer to what they had envisioned, culminating in a hop water that celebrates the essence of hops while holding its own as a refreshing, standalone beverage.

Advice for aspiring hop water brewers
Chris Baum offers some key advice for those venturing into hop water production:

1. Prioritize sanitation:
Maintain clean equipment, especially when packaging non-alcoholic beverages. Varietal takes several precautions, from pH adjustments to sanitizing and running full CIP loops through all the equipment involved in producing hop water. Baum also recommends offering hop water exclusively in cans, as draft lines require meticulous attention to cleanliness and regular sanitation.

2. Focus on refreshment:
“Make sure the water is refreshing, light, tastes good, and brings to mind actual hops,” Baum advises. He stresses that the balance of flavor is critical: “Otherwise, you’re just making diluted fruit juice seltzer.”

3. Leverage the right tools:
HopKick and Euphorics are game-changers for creating a hop-forward profile. Baum highlights their water-solubility and ease of use in bench trials, advising careful measurement during scale-up and recommending a flowmeter for precision.

The future of hop water
As more consumers seek to add more non-alcoholic options to their regular lineup, hop water presents a unique opportunity for brewers to showcase their creativity and expertise in hop flavor. With products like HopKick and Euphorics, and inspiration from innovators like Varietal, hop water can break out of the “other” category and become a staple in the craft beverage world.

Ready to start your hop water journey? Explore HopKick^®, Euphorics™, and other innovative Haas products to bring your ideas to life.