 |
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2007 hop crop update Much of this update is
thanks to Ralph Olson and David Edgar of Hopunion LLC in Yakima WA. Hop
union is a major supplier of hops to the brewing industry... |
|
|
2007 hop crop update Much of this update is
thanks to Ralph Olson and David Edgar of Hopunion LLC in Yakima WA. Hop
union is a major supplier of hops to the brewing industry... |
For US hops, 2007 is looking like an
average crop, but many varieties came in less than expected.
World acreage:
1986: 215,600
1992: 236,000
2006: 123,000
Ralph's best guess is that in 1992 the acreage should have been between
160,000 - 170,000 if it was to match world demand/usage at that time.
The 1990's excess hop crop ended up being processed into pellets and
extracts, building up substantial excess inventory. Excess production
that was many years old was selling on the open market and as a result
brought prices down. Hop prices had dropped so low in recent years that
in many cases they were lower than what it costs to grow.
High-alpha hops and some aroma hops are going overseas - the high rate
of the Euro is a factor.
In the late 1990's and early 2000's the prices were depressed and
growers were starting to throw in the towel, to either switch to other
crops, or sell out to real estate developers. The ones who stayed in it
and managed to survive without going under are pleased to be in this
situation which is 180 degrees opposite from where it was about 10
years ago.
The demand of craft beer is up 16% alone this year with many of those
beers having high hop requirements.
It takes three years to get full production of a new hop field,
however, we don't have the number of growers needed to put new acres
in, the total of US growers is about 45 , down from more than 200 in
1978. About 2000 new acres are going in this year almost all of those
are high alpha...
What's the bottom line? Certain varieties are getting more expensive. A
few varieties will run out faster than ever. Brewers have to be willing
to try other varieties. Brewmasters, brewery owners, and marketing and
sales managers must prepare for the potential need to substitute
different hops, to replace varieties that currently give your beers
their "signature" flavor. That's what we'll have to get used to, the
fact that there may be slight flavor variations over the next several
years, as the hop industry works to correct this situation.. It's not
going to get better soon, but will be likely just as bad, or
worse, for the crops from 2008 and 2009, in other words, for beers
brewed from now through 2010.
So hops are going to be tight and more expensive for the foreseeable
future. Now is the brewers opportunity to brew with many of the other
fine herbs that can and do flavor beer. Check out
mansgarden.com/brewing.html for a good list of plants that are used in
brewing...
Hoppily
Dave Wills
purveyor of fine hops
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