What happened to Amarillo availability?

I know Amarillo is sold out everywhere, but I'm wondering why. Is it due to the hop being proprietary, and whoever is growing it is currently wiped out or had a bad crop? Early last year, my LHBS had pounds of it for $14 each. Now, everyone is sold out. I just opened the freezer bag I had of it last week, but if I like my current batch of Amarillo IPA, I'm sure the pound will go fast.

Is this just a summer thing, or is it likely this is something that will be unavailable next year, as well? Sounds almost indefinite from looking at some threads from previous years. I think I may have just been lucky to find it last year.

Pretty sure they had a frost come through and damage a lot of the hops. They have to meet brewers contracts before suppliers so they have a big shortage.

The hop harvest is in the fall. I don't know the status of the current crop, but hops are only harvested once a year so right now I'm waiting for the harvest.

I've learned a lesson on this one. If there is any hop you like, buy a bunch and shove it in the freezer. If this crop is a dud, I may need to make my 2011 batch last at least until the end of 2013. I got lucky to have the pound. One of the first beers I brewed was an amarillo simcoe Stone SSR clone. I then stocked up on the two and never brewed it again, even though I thought it was the greatest beer on earth.

Another thing I do is always buy the pound. That seems to be the last amount that gives you a discount. Not sure if I could use 5 pounds, but I would likely buy that much if it were one of the main ones I use. Like cascade, amarillo, simcoe, etc. I can't imagine buying an ounce or two unless I were trying something new. You can always make a random beer out of whatever the heck you have in the freezer.

Yes, I have nearly two pounds of simcoe left! But my amarillo is all gone. I didn't realize I'd use it so much faster than I did.

I buy cascade, simcoe, amarillo, magnum, centennial, chinook and willamette by the pound. I don't use that much willamette, so I only buy one pound a year. The others I tend to buy in multiple pounds.

Right now, my hop freezer is a little light until the harvest!

My local hbs just a bunch of amarillo leaf in 2 weeks ago. i just picked up 7 oz

Glynn said:

My local hbs just a bunch of amarillo leaf in 2 weeks ago. i just picked up 7 oz

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Glynn, I grew up in Geneva and am wondering where your lhbs is? My dad, in St. Charles, is interested in getting involved in Beer and Wine making and I would love for him to know of one besides the one in St. Charles. Also, I work at my lhbs in CO and I know that we're ordering hops now for the 2014 season already. Amarillo are one of the best and most used hops out there. A buddy of mine suggested using Falconer's Flight. I's not exactly right, but if you cut out 25% of the suggested Amarillo amount, it suffices.

johnnytaco said:

Glynn, I grew up in Geneva and am wondering where your lhbs is? My dad, in St. Charles, is interested in getting involved in Beer and Wine making and I would love for him to know of one besides the one in St. Charles. Also, I work at my lhbs in CO and I know that we're ordering hops now for the 2014 season already. Amarillo are one of the best and most used hops out there. A buddy of mine suggested using Falconer's Flight. I's not exactly right, but if you cut out 25% of the suggested Amarillo amount, it suffices.

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I use brew and grow in Roselle, il they have amarillo for 1.99/oz

Glynn said:

I use brew and grow in Roselle, il they have amarillo for 1.99/oz

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I'll pass the info on. Thanks! Isn't that the place the DEA was monitoring in the 90's to bust pot growers? Have you ever been to the HBS in St. Charles? Do they compare?

" Amarillo are one of the best and most used hops out there."

The best is open to opinion, but they certainly are not one of the most used.

It is a relatively new hop. It has grown in popularity quite recently. Hops aren't like annual crops where you plant seeds in spring and get a big harvest in fall. A single vine takes a couple years to get going and it generally takes a decade or so to grow anything close to production quantities by dividing rhizomes. It's pretty much impossible for farmers to react quickly to demand changes.

billl said:

Hops aren't like annual crops where you plant seeds in spring and get a big harvest in fall. A single vine takes a couple years to get going and it generally takes a decade or so to grow anything close to production quantities by dividing rhizomes. It's pretty much impossible for farmers to react quickly to demand changes.

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Not so. Hop farms typically get an 80% harvest the first year. Steady watering and feeding can work wonders. Hops can also be propagated by burying the bines, so one plant can provide hundreds of usable cuttings. The problem with Amarillo is simply that only one company grows it, they can't meet the demand, and they won't contract it out.

But, the crop is in and it's a good one. Everyone should be seeing some soon.