Experience with Northwest Hop Farms?

[Broothru]

Northwest does have Lubelski, which I love, but it’s Sybilla that I truly can’t find anywhere, short of ordering 5 kg direct from Poland.

This’ll be my first time using Lublin. The goal is to brew a Piwo Grodziski. So Lublin is supposed to be a lot like Saaz, which was my fallback hop if I couldn’t find Lublin.

I really enjoy researching, then brewing these obscure and historical style beers. Any suggestions as to yeast for a Piwo? I’m leaning towards a hybrid or Kolsch yeast.

 

[MaxStout]

Just ordered a pound of Bramling Cross (2023), something my usual suppliers don't carry. With the CAD$10 discount ($7.13 'Murican) and shipping, total was about $32.00. Not bad for a pound shipped.

Thanks, @day_trippr for posting the discount message.

 

[rhys333]

Just ordered a pound of Bramling Cross (2023), something my usual suppliers don't carry. With the CAD$10 discount ($7.13 'Murican) and shipping, total was about $32.00. Not bad for a pound shipped.

Thanks, @day_trippr for posting the discount message.

I just estimated the shipping on 2 pound of hops and it was $25 CAD, within Canada. That's more than the hops are costing me. I'm scratching my head on this one.

 

[MaxStout]

I just estimated the shipping on 2 pound of hops and it was $25 CAD, within Canada. That's more than the hops are costing me. I'm scratching my head on this one.

Yikes.

I wouldn't order from them for more common varieties, but was willing to pay the ~USD25 shipping for something harder to find.

 

[elproducto]

I just estimated the shipping on 2 pound of hops and it was $25 CAD, within Canada. That's more than the hops are costing me. I'm scratching my head on this one.

That doesn't seem unreasonable to me, ,shipping in Canada is expensive, they also don't use Canada Post.

I just checked and to ship 2 pounds of hops in Ontario from OBK is $27 by Purolator.

 

[rhys333]

That doesn't seem unreasonable to me, ,shipping in Canada is expensive, they also don't use Canada Post.

I just checked and to ship 2 pounds of hops in Ontario from OBK is $27 by Purolator.

I checked as well, but I put in a US address. It's cheaper to ship to another country than it is to ship one province over. I think you know what I mean when I say we're not doing ourselves any favors.

 

[MaxStout]

Just got my Bramling Cross today, came perfectly packaged and in a small box, not an envelope. If shipping wasn't such a killer cross-border, I'd order more from them. The $10 off did help. The total cost was a bit north of $30US, about what I'd pay for a pound at the LHBS I used to have.

 

[rhys333]

I just ordered four pounds from Northwest Hops: sterling, comet, EKG, and Mackinac. This should keep me going for a while. The new owners seem really good.

 

[rhys333]

My hops arrived yesterday. It was a quick three day turnaround and they are well packaged. My brewing supervisor also approves.

 

[day_trippr]

Fyi, their latest newsletter.

Cheers!

 

[rhys333]

Fyi, their latest newsletter.

View attachment 870054

Cheers!

Phil, the new owner, seems like a really great guy, and he's been putting in a lot of effort to turn things around. It seems they've been going through a rough patch due to those challenges, and it's not clear what the future looks like for Northwest Hops. Hopefully, more homebrewers will take notice and give them a shot.

The first page of this thread might be deterring potential customers since it dates back to 2018, when the business was still under the previous management. I wonder if @HBT_Admin can advise if there's a way add a note at the top of the thread clarifying that the business is now under new management?

 

[HBT_Admin]

Phil, the new owner, seems like a really great guy, and he's been putting in a lot of effort to turn things around. It seems they've been going through a rough patch due to those challenges, and it's not clear what the future looks like for Northwest Hops. Hopefully, more homebrewers will take notice and give them a shot.

The first page of this thread might be deterring potential customers since it dates back to 2018, when the business was still under the previous management. I wonder if @HBT_Admin can advise if there's a way add a note at the top of the thread clarifying that the business is now under new management?

Send me the link. I'm all for second chances. That said, I will only add a note and a date. I won't remove it entirely.

 

[MaxStout]

Agree. Context is everything and I'd hate to see the new owners judged by the actions of previous owners from several years ago.

I had a good experience with Northwest. Int'l shipping is a bit much, but that's not the business' fault.

 

[elproducto]

Buddy and I ordered 16 pounds. Should be good for the year. Ordered on Friday arrived here in ON today.

Took a chance on some older varieties, but they were super cheap. Otherwise stuck to 2023-2024 .

 

[rhys333]

Send me the link. I'm all for second chances. That said, I will only add a note and a date. I won't remove it entirely.

Much appreciated @HBT_Admin . The link to the first post in this thread is directly below:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/experience-with-northwest-hop-farms.652708/post-8354389

The first page of the thread focuses on the questionable business practices of the former owner. The business has been under new ownership for about a year, and people are reporting positive experiences.

 

[day_trippr]

people are reporting positive experiences.

I'll vouch for that

 

[Broothru]

I'll vouch for that

I’ve ordered from Northwest twice, once before the change in ownership and once since. Night and day difference!

 

[Northwest Hops]

Northwest does have Lubelski, which I love, but it’s Sybilla that I truly can’t find anywhere, short of ordering 5 kg direct from Poland.

do you want me to see if I can get some in?

 

[AlexKay]

do you want me to see if I can get some in?

That would be great! Sybilla is the best. The bag I bought from you two years ago is almost used up.

I’ll order a pound the instant it appears on your website.

 

[Broothru]

That would be great! Sybilla is the best. The bag I bought from you two years ago is almost used up.

I’ll order a pound the instant it appears on your website.

I have a Pivo Grodzisie planned as soon as I complete my pilot brew elimination of Kolsch recipes. I've already obtained the Oak-Smoked and Munich malts, and plan to bitter with Magnum, flavor with Lublin, late hop with Saaz, but would love to substitute another Polish hop to the mix for 'authenticity'. Sybilla looks very interesting as a late hop substitute for Saaz, assuming Sybilla 'plays nice' with Lublin. I know Saaz would, as especially Hallertau Magnum will, in a small dose of early bittering.

My biggest problem is the 2023 Lublin I have is its low Alpha Acids (2.1% AA), so I kinda' have to bring in some big guns with Magnum to bitter. The spider charts on Beer Maverick do show some interesting overlaid possibilities, however, subbing a larger Sybilla charge for Magnum at FWH. The apparent mix of Sybilla/Lublin/Saaz looks incredible. Maybe even try Sybilla/Lublin/Sybilla+Lublin hopping schedule.

I just got an email from White Labs that my pre-order of their new WLP-548 "Original Grodziskie" yeast blend will be shipping soon. I've got my clone recipe from the Browar Grodzisk brewery ready to go when the yeast arrives. Adding some Sybilla on brew day seems like a worthy detour from my base recipe.

​

 

[AlexKay]

I have a Pivo Grodzisie planned as soon as I complete my pilot brew elimination of Kolsch recipes. I've already obtained the Oak-Smoked and Munich malts, and plan to bitter with Magnum, flavor with Lublin, late hop with Saaz, but would love to substitute another Polish hop to the mix for 'authenticity'. Sybilla looks very interesting as a late hop substitute for Saaz, assuming Sybilla 'plays nice' with Lublin. I know Saaz would, as especially Hallertau Magnum will, in a small dose of early bittering.

My biggest problem is the 2023 Lublin I have is its low Alpha Acids (2.1% AA), so I kinda' have to bring in some big guns with Magnum to bitter. The spider charts on Beer Maverick do show some interesting overlaid possibilities, however, subbing a larger Sybilla charge for Magnum at FWH. The apparent mix of Sybilla/Lublin/Saaz looks incredible. Maybe even try Sybilla/Lublin/Sybilla+Lublin hopping schedule.

I just got an email from White Labs that my pre-order of their new WLP-548 "Original Grodziskie" yeast blend will be shipping soon. I've got my clone recipe from the Browar Grodzisk brewery ready to go when the yeast arrives. Adding some Sybilla on brew day seems like a worthy detour from my base recipe.

​

I think Sybilla/Lublin play exceptionally well together.

Of all the beers I’ve brewed, I feel I’ve only “nailed down” two or three recipes. One of those is an American lager with Sybilla and Lublin.

Though I’ve been experimenting with Sterling lately, which also has a bunch of farnesene, and as a US varietal seems rather easier to get my hands on.

 

[Broothru]

Outstanding!

Hopefully, @Northwest Hop Farms can locate some Sybilla. I've been looking for an opportunity to give some business to the new owners. Not sure I have room in my stuffed freezer for another pound of hops, but I've certainly got room in the kettle for a couple of ounces.

It's been a challenge getting authentic ingredients for this brew. Williams was the only place where I found any available Lubelska/Lublin/Lublelski, and was afraid I'd have to use Saaz (a closely similar varietal) in its place. Now, with White Labs collaborating with the brewery to revive this yeast from 1933 samples, recreating a fitting homage to the original is possible. I'm gettin' psyched.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, low AA% over the last few years has plagued all kinds of European hops...

 

[Broothru]

fwiw, low AA% over the last few years has plagued all kinds of European hops...

Right you are! I use a lot of Hallertau Mittelfruh, and '22 & '23 crop years were ridiculously low not only for Mitt but most of the other DE hops as well. That's also been the case for Poland, and even England. I was glad to see the 2024 harvest has improved somewhat both in crop volume and also AA%. Not yet great, but certainly better. I have some '22 Hall Mitt in the freezer that was 2.1% at harvest, compared with the '24 crop that now lists 2.9%. Adjusted for age (30 months) and ideal storage (frozen, nitrogen flushed, vacuum sealed) their AA% is estimated 1.32%. I have to use twice as many '22 hops to match the current '24 crop. Ouch!

 

[rhys333]

...I’ve been experimenting with Sterling lately, which also has a bunch of farnesene, and as a US varietal seems rather easier to get my hands on.

What do you think of sterling? It's a favorite of mine, and I'm not sure why it doesn't get more exposure. Maybe it's the name.

 

[AlexKay]

What do you think of sterling? It's a favorite of mine, and I'm not sure why it doesn't get more exposure. Maybe it's the name.

Sterling is lovely. I’ve used it in an American amber lager, a kuit, and a wheatwine, so far.

It the ideal thing for a cream ale or an American lager, where everyone would tell you to use something noble, and you sort of agree but also want to do something more interesting.

 

[Northwest Hops]

That would be great! Sybilla is the best. The bag I bought from you two years ago is almost used up.

I’ll order a pound the instant it appears on your website.

My supplier wants me to take a pallet I'll keep trying other avenues though

 

[AlexKay]

My supplier wants me to take a pallet I'll keep trying other avenues though

That’s … thousands of pounds of hops? I can see that it might be difficult to move them in that quantity. Thanks for fighting the good fight!

 

[Northwest Hops]

That’s … thousands of pounds of hops? I can see that it might be difficult to move them in that quantity. Thanks for fighting the good fight!

1100lbs, I'll bring them across if you're keen to buy them lol yeah its a little excessive for sure.

 

[rhys333]

My hops arrived yesterday. It was a quick three day turnaround and they are well packaged. My brewing supervisor also approves.

View attachment 869796

Reporting back on my February hop purchase...
I’ve brewed two batches so far: a saison with sterling hops and an APA with mackinac. Both hop varieties are incredibly fresh and pungent. Seriously impressive quality. The saison turned out well. The Sterling hops were a perfect match for the style, adding a vibrant spicy noble character. The APA is still in primary, but even just the whirlpool aroma is out of this world.