Hop Water Recipe
This classic hop water recipe skips the brewing entirely. No equipment, no 20-minute hop steep, and no cooldown period. Just plain sparkling water and Hop Drops hop flavor essence and you'll be enjoying a delicious hop water in no time.
What Is Hop Water?
Hop water is sparkling water infused with hops, the same flowers that give IPAs their citrusy, piney, and tropical flavors and aromas. Because it's just sparkling water with hops, there's no alcohol, so you can enjoy these bold hop flavors without any of the guilt or hangover the next day.
Classic Hop Water Recipe
Like many of the canned hop waters on the market, this recipe is single-hopped with Citra hops.
Ingredients
- 12 oz cold sparkling water or seltzer
- 1 ml Hop Drops™ Simply Citra hop essence
- Lime wedge (optional)
Instructions
- Add 1 ml of Simply Citra hop flavor essence to an empty glass using the graduated dropper. For your first time, start with 1 ml and dial it up or down to taste.
- Pour in 12 oz of cold sparkling water. The pour does the mixing. No stirring should be needed.
- Garnish and serve. A squeeze of lime doubles down on Citra's citrus notes.
Beyond the Classic
Want something a bit different? Hop Drops offers a variety of hop blends and single-hopped flavors. Just swap Simply Citra for any other Hop Drops flavor (same 1 ml per 12 oz) for a more unique hop water experience:
- Hazy — Citra® and Mosaic® hops, like your favorite hazy IPA
- West Coast — Simcoe® and Centennial®, bursting pine and citrus
- Dolcitra — Dolcita™ and Citra®, peach rings and creamsicle
Tips & Variations
- Dial in your intensity. 1 ml per 12 oz is the recommended dose, but the graduated dropper makes it easy to adjust the hop flavor to your palate.
- Carbonate at home. A carbonator like a SodaStream or DrinkMate turns tap water into sparkling water for pennies without the cans or bottles.
- Skip the name-brand seltzer. Generic plain sparkling water works perfectly. The hops bring all the flavor, so there's no reason to pay extra for a fancy label.
- Explore the flavors. Each Hop Drops flavor gives this same recipe a different result, from hazy-IPA juicy to West Coast pine to the candied peach of our Dolcitra blend.
Hop Water FAQ
Does hop water contain alcohol?
No. Hop water made with sparkling water and Hop Drops is non-alcoholic. It's like La Croix, but with hop flavor instead of fruit.
What does hop water taste like?
Think of the smell and hoppy punch of a fresh IPA in a crisp seltzer. Depending on the hops, you'll get citrus, pine, or stone/tropical fruit notes.
How do I adjust this recipe to my taste preference?
The graduated dropper included with every bottle of Hop Drops makes it easy to adjust hoppiness to your desired level. We recommend starting with 1 ml of essence per 12 ounces of sparkling water, but you can dial it up for a bolder punch or use less for a more subtle hop flavor.
Why are Hop Drops so much more affordable than store-bought hop water?
Shipping and storing water is expensive. Hop Drops use the same 100% real hops that you'll find in canned hop waters, but because they're concentrated into a small bottle they cost a lot less to ship. Pair Hop Drops with a carbonation device for the ultimate in cost savings.
How many servings does one bottle make?
Each 1 oz bottle of Hop Drops makes up to 30 servings at the recommended 1 ml per 12 oz of sparkling water. This makes each serving of Hop Drops 2-3x cheaper than canned hop water at the store.