Unhopped

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing a liquid, especially beer or ale, that has not been infused with hops during brewing; lacking the bitterness or aroma contributed by hops; referring to a product made without the addition of hop flowers or extracts
2. Characterizing a beverage prepared without the use of hops, resulting in absence of typical hop-derived flavors and bitterness; indicating a fermentation process where hops were omitted; denoting an unmixed state without hop-based seasoning
3. Relating to a drink, chiefly beer, which is produced without including hops in its recipe, thus missing the herbal, bitter qualities hops impart; signifying a concoction brewed without hop additions; used to describe an ingredient combination minus hops

Etymology: "Unhopped" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not," attached to "hopped," the past participle of "hop," used in brewing to mean infused with hops. Hops are the flowers of a climbing plant, and their resins give beer its bitterness and much of its aroma, so a beer described as unhopped has been brewed without that addition. The word's meaning is therefore literal and transparent: it names the absence of a step that was once the standard way of making beer. The verb "hop" itself was applied to the process of adding the flowers to the boil, which is why "hopped" works as an ordinary adjective for the finished product.

Synonyms: unflavored, plain, unbrewed

Antonyms: hopped, flavored, brewed