Can a hazy IPA brewed entirely with liquid hop products deliver the bitterness, flavor and overall sensory profile expected from a beer made with traditional hops?
That was the question behind a collaboration between Northern Monk and ADM’s brewing specialists, which set out to recreate the brewery’s 4% A Little Faith session IPA using liquid hop products in place of pellets and whole hops.
Rather than developing a new beer around the technology, the team worked backward from an established sensory target. The goal was to see whether liquid hops could reproduce a familiar beer profile under commercial brewing conditions, including its expected bitterness and consumer appeal.
The resulting beer was evaluated by brewers and industry attendees at BeerX 2026. It received an average score of 8.3 out of 10, while 97% of tasters said the bitterness was where they expected it to be. Ninety-one percent said they would buy the beer.
Beyond sensory performance, liquid hop formats can alter how those characteristics are delivered. Concentrated hop extracts can reduce beer loss associated with hop pellets, while offering greater control over hop additions and potentially helping maintain flavor consistency through shelf life.
The approach could have implications beyond conventional IPA, particularly as brewers continue to explore low- and no-alcohol beers and other hop-forward beverages where maintaining recognizable flavor and aroma profiles is critical.
