 |
Small Scale Commercial Hop Production |
“What are all of those tall poles for? Too tall for grapes…” That’s because they are for hops.
“You can’t grow hops here…” In fact, hops are remarkably easy to grow and are known for taking over the countryside if left unchecked. Moreover, hops can be commercially grown on as little as one acre. But before one plows up the side yard there are few things that need to be known about hop production.
 Hops are Flowers
Being flowers, hops are extremely delicate. They require all of the care and attention one might spend on prize roses. They form on very vigorous vine-like woody stalks called bines. The bines are trained to spiral up twine suspended from high wires and trellis poles up to 20 feet tall. A one-acre, high density hop plantation can easily contain 75-85 poles, 1200 plants, and cost $10,000 or more to establish.
 Hops are Hungry
A single hop plant will grow from sprout to 20 feet tall in as little as six weeks and contain up to 8 pounds of fresh flowers (1-2 pounds dry). All of that growth requires a lot of food, water, and sunlight. It is not uncommon for 1 acre of hops to consume 150 pounds of nitrogen in that 6-8 week timeframe. The plant drinks quite a bit too; up to the equivalent of 30 inches of precipitation during the season.
Hops are Labor Intensive
Any way you look at it, hop cultivation is labor intensive. Currently there are no mechanized implements for hop cultivation or harvest. Hand weeding and hand harvesting are the only reliable tools. Harvest is by far the most labor intensive, requiring up to 30 minutes for a single person to pick a bine clean. However, Gorst Valley is researching and fabricating small scale harvesting equipment to address this issue. Harvest timing differs across varieties; click here for a schedule.
Hops Require Precise Drying and Processing
While some brewers use hops in the whole, wet flower form most brewers use hops in the more familiar dry, pelletized form (see processing). Being flowers, their aroma and structure are vulnerable to spoilage and must be dried immediately after harvest. |
|
| |
Hop Production Intern Wanted
|
|
We are currently interviewing for a paid intern position, requiring 15-20 hours a week from May - September in the Madison area. Please click here for more information.
|
3-31-12 Hops 101 Workshop
|
|
If you know us at all, you know that we just can't stop talking about hops! On March 31 we present Introduction to Small Scale Hop Production, our definitive workshop on how to get started growing hops commercially.
SOLD OUT! To join the mailing list for future workshops click here.
|
12-27-11 Press Release
|
|
It starts and ends with Quality! Click here to read our latest press release, with a focus on quality from our parters at South Shore Brewery and Capital Brewery.
|
|
|
| |
|
