Napa Valley

A friend and I took a ride today (motorcycles) through the Napa Valley. What great country. All I could think was, What great HOP growing country. What a waist of land these vineyards are. Maybe it's just me.

I was just there over the weekend and couldn't agree more. Perhaps with the economy the way it is they'll change the crops to hops instead.

The economy would have to get alot worst I'm afraid before the price of good vineyard land gets down to the price of good hopyard land. Yaknowhatimean?

Yep. Even with the bad economy there are and have been for a few years new vineyards popping up all over.
Went for a ride last weekend through the delta and where there use to be orchards, there are now brand new vineyards. California wine must be very high in demand.

Should have headed one valley west.. to the Healdsburg valleys. Nice biking. It used to be a great region for growing hops.. and a few miles north is a place called Hopland. Here in Healdsburg there is a winery that is called Hop Kiln. Gives you an idea of some of the hop history here. But, sadly the hops developed problems due, probably, to the humidity levels we can have here.. and other things. Was not profitable. Napa valley is probably a bit less humid as it's a mt range further from the ocean. But, some of us successfully grow some hops here for fun.

Yep, I've ridden all through and around the Healdsburg area as well. Some great roads out your way. I have wondered what happened to the hop industry here in California.

Theres a commercial hop farm in Lake County (next county over from Napa) call Hops Meister. The owner Marty is really nice guy.

http://www.hopsmeister.com/

He provides all the "local" wet hops to northern california breweries.

Russian River used Marty's wet hops for the Toronado's 25th Anniversary beer.

http://russianriverbrewing.com/its-hoptime-and-the-toronado-turns-25-this-week/