hop or hops

There is much confusion over whether to use the singular hop or the plural hops when referring to this twining vine of the hemp family. Use the singular when referring to the vine or to varieties of hop. Use the plural when referring to the ripened and dried cones. Hops are grown primarily for use in the brewing industry to impart a mellow bitterness and delicate aroma to brewed beverages and to aid in their preservation. Its cone shaped pistillate catkins is used primarily to impart a bitter flavor to beer. Hops were first introduced to the United States from Europe, by the Massachusetts Company in 1629. Today the bulk of hops production is the dry valleys of the Pacific Northwest where Washington State produces 77 percent of the nation's hops.