This lovely plant has a very rich history of use, dating back to ancient Egypt, where it was used as a salad plant as early as the 1st century. Hops are the female flowers (also called cones or catkins) of Humulus Lupulus, a climbing plant in the Cannabaceae family — the same plant family as Hemp! It’s scientific name, Humulus Lupulus means “soil” and “small wolf”, as it has a tendency to strangle other plants if not tended. The Romans even said that hops grew “wild among the willows, like wolves among sheep". Still, Hops' main claim to fame in today's world comes from its use in beer. In brewing, hops are appreciated as a flavoring agent, and they also stabilize the bacterial growth of the brew by killing off the undesirable microbial growth, while allowing the beneficial yeasts to continue thriving.