Hops are a very important ingredient in the brewing process. They balance out what would be an overwhelming sweetness created by the fermented barley, and act as a natural preservative. Before their discovery as a valuable brewing ingredient, many other herbs, spices, and various ingredients preceded them. Hops are grown commercially in many countries around the world, and each area lends it's own unique characteristics. Hops are generally grown on tall poles, much like bean-poles, and allowed to wander up before spreading sideways on a twisted, whimsical journey. The hop plant creates small, cone-like flowers that are spotted with glands of very powerful but delicate oils, called lupulin glands. These oils are the sought- after treasures that are used in the brewing process.
 Hops may be used in their natural form, known as leaf hops, or pelletized, or turned into "plugs", which are simply compressed hop leaves held together by the sticky oils they contain. There are many different flavor profiles derived from hops grown in different areas, and therefore there is quite a science behind using them successfully to achieve the desired effect.  Below is a list of some of the available hop varieties, and their common uses. More will be posted as time and research allows.
 

Hops are extremely delicate, just like any other flower, and they need to be treated as such. The desired resins that we brewers seek are not actually part of the leaves themselves- they CLING to those leaves, much of it being concentrated in down in the base of the hop cone, where  disturbances such as wind and getting knocked around have less tendency to brush off the little pods of resin.
 Of course we value the leaves as a natural filter which is a great help in clarifying the wort, so it's not like they are at all useless, which is why many brewers prefer them to hop pellets. Pellets, made from whole leaf hops that are squeezed into forms using the oils they contain to maintain the shape, are of no use as a filter medium, therefore one must supply other means to catch the hops and trub when racking from one vessel to another. Which is better? That always depends on what you are trying to achieve at the time!
For general bittering, any style will do. Whole leaf hops are said to have more "scrubbing" action, but in reality, the oils are almost immediately separated from the leaves, therefore it's not really a factor. Leaf hops tend to clog equipment easily, so it's always best to use at LEAST 1/2" diameter fittings for your brew ware. 5/8" or 3/4" is most desirable. Pellets quickly break down into mush, then quickly dissipate into the batch, with much less chance of creating a clog.
 

 For dry hopping, many brewers prefer leaf hops; I assume they believe the leaf hops are in a more natural state, therefore they will have a more desirable effect, but there is really no reason pellets can't be used. However,  they will be slightly harder to filter out later.
 
 

Oxidation is the main enemy of the hop's shelf life; buying fresh hops can be a tricky proposition, depending on how they were treated before you get to buy them! (Think of them as fresh fruit!)

Pellets, usually sold in one ounce increments, may be a little more pricey, but consider this:    Each ounce is usually flushed with nitrogen, which replaces the oxygen that would quickly begin to initiate the product's demise. They are then sealed in barrier packaging (those foil-type bags) to prevent oxygen from permeating the container, spoiling them during storage. When sealed in this manner and stored in a freezer, you  can easily store them until the next harvest, even a year later!
 Leaf hops, however, are not always treated this way. If you do purchase them in nitro-packaging, there is a better chance they will be fresh, but still, no guarantee. (Hops rapidly break down after being picked, and continue to do so. How much time they spend in that vulnerable stage- the open air- will determine how long they'll last before souring.)

 Hop growers know the importance of treating their crops properly- it's their life! But, what about the next guy in line?  To me, that's where you need to watch out! Many homebrew shops buy in bulk, often stocking their leaf hops by the pound. And that pound often comes in plain, ordinary plastic bags. That leads to oxidation, and eventually soured hops.  Even worse, the precious little lupulin glands get knocked off of the leaves, and concentrated at the bottom of the bag! That means no genuine control of  your recipe!
 Now you are paying for hops that: A. may or may NOT be very fresh;  B.will NOT contain the proper amount of oil glands that each hop cone started with!  (I've purchased many pounds of hops, and observed the difference from top to bottom in the bag- there's NO WAY you'll get an accurate AA count with these things!  It's certainly worth questioning your supplier on their procedures, which will give you some indication, but you still have to wonder about HIS supplier!  ALWAYS be sure to report any inferior supplies to the source, and ask that they be sure to mention it to theirs- let them know they need to supply you with quality ingredients and equipment, nothing less!
 Having learned how many of the hops are handled before reaching the final consumer, I now stick to using mainly pellets for the boil, which were bought in 1 oz. packages; I normally purchase whole leaf hops in 1 or 2 oz. nitro bags, and only purchase by the pound certain types which will be rapidly used in large quantities, say 4 or 5 ounces in a single batch.  That method cuts down both the storage time and the lupulin separation problem, since so much of the bag ends up in the same pot, but it's still not a perfect cure for what I consider poor handling techniques.
 

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