HoppyDaze
Well-Known Member
Oregon craft breweries snagging local hops
MOUNT ANGEL, Ore. (AP) -- Jeff DeSantis grew up about 10 miles from the hop yards that now supply the major ingredient for his craft brewery.
Because the hops from Annen Farms were contracted to Anheuser-Busch and other major beer distributors, however, DeSantis couldn't access the aromatic product.
That story played out again and again throughout the Northwest where Northwest craft brewers flourished independent of the hop industry.
Today that is changing.
As Anheuser-Busch InBev scales back on contract acreage, craft brewers are snatching up the hops. Today, many growers are producing hops on contract for the micro-brewery industry.
Some craft brewers even are getting involved in hop production.
"Some brewers are coming to fields and checking on vines a few days before picking," said Nancy Frketich, administrator of the Oregon Hop Commission. "They're really getting involved, since they're so close."
Other brewers are taking ownership of hops immediately after farmers harvest the crop, before the hops are dried.
Rogue Ales even leased a hop farm in Independence, Ore., recently, taking total control of its hops.
The trend inspired Mount Angel grower John Annen, along with DeSantis, to develop a baler capable of producing 15-pound bales to better serve craft brewers.
The smaller bales -- Anheuser-Busch typically buys 200-pound bales -- allow craft brewers to buy a smaller amount of hops -- micro-purchases, one might say.
"We couldn't use 200 pounds," said DeSantis, who owns Seven Brides Brewing in Silverton, Ore. "The smaller quantities give us versatility with our hops."
"It also gives craft brewers a chance to try a certain hop, and see if they like it," Frketich said.
The trend is being embraced by DeSantis, who for years was frustrated that he was unable to buy from his neighbor.
DeSantis said that in the past he typically purchased hops from a dealer. Many times, he said, he didn't know where the hops came from.
"There was a huge disconnect for years," Annen said regarding the relationship between the Northwest's burgeoning craft brewery industry and the area's hop industry.
Annen, who formerly grew strictly for large beer distributors, today grows hops for the craft industry.
The change has prompted Annen to add several varieties to his production. Today he produces 10 different commercial varieties, including several specialty hops. Within three years, Annen said, he'll be growing 18 different commercial varieties on his 275 trellised acres.
Annen plans to continue to produce hops for Anheuser-Busch InBev. Most of his hops, though, will go to local craft brewers.
All of DeSantis's hops come from Annen, making his beer a distinctly Oregon product.
"It's Oregon beer, made from Oregon hops, grown by an Oregon grower and it's being sold to an Oregon consumer," he said.
"Plus, we are able to ensure Oregon growers are getting fair market value for their hops," he said.
Lets hope this trend continues in the Northwest...This should help some of the good beer makers keep their materials costs down a little bit.
~Cheers!
