Tightening supply of hops could mean rising price of local beer by John Brewer
Combine that with rising barley prices and you can bet that your beer is going to be more expensive. No doubt our local breweries, brewpubs and homebrew shops are feeling this. Inevitably, some businesses will probably get squeezed out… let’s hope that it’s not any of our great Minnesota breweries, brewpubs and homebrew shops. Yet another reason to drink locally, drink early, drink often!
Is his name really John Brewer?
“Could” but not “is”?
Yup. I think IS is more accurate.
You guys don’t even realize how bad it really is….
I imagine not. I know that 1# of Cascade from HopsDirect is now about $25 versus something like $8 not that long ago.
It’s bad folks.
So, brewers, what are the options for your beers?
Malty ales and lagers with subtle hops?
Not a lot of options, because it’s not just a cost issue…it’s an availability issue. I find it funny that the press only focuses on the cost to the consumer. But how about if you can’t buy hops at any price? That’s about where we’re at right now. Ryan had it right in his text. Go read the comments on the Pioneer Press website…it’s a joke. People complaining that beer is too expensive already.
So to answer your question…I don’t know. We all probably have hops to get us through a portion of the year, but where we go from there is anyone’s guess. I spend a lot of time each week looking at where we’re at, and I’m sure everyone else is doing the same. But this isn’t about rising consumer costs…this is about breweries surviving the next couple of years.
I give credit to someone posting in this regard over at Beer Advocate for the suggestion of Gruits, but I’ll throw out the following suggestions: Scotch Ale, Mild, Kolsch, Baltic Porter, and Sahti.
Although I personally prefer balance to tongue-blistering hop goodness, I wonder how long most hopheads can last before they start seeing green, resiny elelphants and other hop-deprivation related symptoms?
Seriously though, I’m sure we’ll all weather the storm, even if it means paying a lot more for our beer.
not long, man, not long!
i’m seein’ ’em already!
there you are, magical hop dragon, I’m gonna getchoo, I’m coming atcha…
Not that this helps much for the craft brewer, but you homebrewers out there…if you’ve got a bit of land and a southern exposure, think about starting to grow your own. I just finished an oatmeal stout using my harvest of Williamette, and lemme tell you, it’s worth the work.
And in the meantime, I look forward to the new resurgence of 80-shilling Scottish ale in the Twin Cities.
an audiofile of the presentation discussing the current state of affairs relative to hops and malt.
http://www.beertown.org/power_hour/2007/november/index.htm
We have already started work on a 2 acre hopyard right on the brewery grounds here in Lucan. It’s been something we have thought about doing, now we are doing it out of neccessity as much as anthing else. Rhizomes are ordered and should be in the ground in April! We will also plant about 3 acres of barley for asthetics.
I’d like to see every brewer in MN start seriously growing there own hops. I know that Schell’s grows a little bit on the garden, but what about increasing that amount to some acreage?
You know, I’ve thought about asking a friend who owns a orchard near by to start growing them. I think the problem is the processing after harvest. Dustin, what’s your approach to this?
Like most ag farming, equipment costs are pretty huge.
Sure you could grow some hops,but there is a reason commercial production of hops is limited to certain regions of the world.Processing being one of the major ones.Pests and growing season are others.Equipment unique to hop farms is rare and expensive.
Hmm, given the circumstances, I think I should convert my 50’s era Cold War nuclear fallout shelter into a hop storage cellar…
Read up folks. This site has a manual on small production hop farming. Who’s up for it?
http://www.crannogales.com/farm.html
For what it’s worth, I pledge to do my part! (fridge full of Lake Superior, Summit, Surly at the ready!)
Like anything we do, there’s a learning curve. Our brewery sits on about 5 acres, most of it farmed field. Our hop needs are small so I believe we are a uniquely good fit for a hopyard. We are working on a way to pelletize our hops, but if we are unsuccessful we will use them whole. Either way they will be dried, purged, vaccuum sealed, and cooled/frozen until used. In the meantime we will have them tested for all necessary chemical perameters.
I have a strong interest in starting an organic hop farm in MN. I have 40 acres midway between Little Falls and Brainerd near Fort Ripley, MN. The acerage has no record of intensive farming or use of chemicals which favors such a conversion to organic. Although the soil is sandy in this area, I have a ready supply of horse manure and a neighbor with a certified organic dairy so improving the soil is very feasible. I would like to entertain further discussion on market availability and varieties best suited for my area.
I have a strong interest in starting an organic hop farm in MN. I have 40 acres midway between Little Falls and Brainerd near Fort Ripley, MN. The acerage has no record of intensive farming or use of chemicals which favors such a conversion to organic. Although the soil is sandy in this area, I have a ready supply of horse manure and a neighbor with a certified organic dairy so improving the soil is very feasible. I would like to entertain further discussion on market availability and varieties best suited for my area. jay.morsching@us.army.mil
I really enjoyed reading this page…Thanks for this 🙂