The hop shortage

[Germey]

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet, but I found this on the Midwest Supplies Website:

Update 1/6/2008

Dear Midwest Customers...

...Hops that will not be available or in short supply include: Amarillo, Centennial, Challenger, Chinook, Fuggle, Hallertau, Kent Golding, Northern Brewer, Nugget, Czech Saaz, Styrian Goldings, Target, Tettnang, Yakima Magnum, Simcoe, Horizon, Progress, First Gold, and Bramling Cross...

Well, so much for their previous open letter assuring everyone that there will be plenty of hops and not to stock up. Sure glad I got a stash of a few items on that list. Don't know what I'll do for '09, though.

 

[DeathBrewer]

basically, everything i love. i did find a ton of hops at:

San Francisco Brewcraft

"Best selection on the west coast" and i believe it! They had everything

 

[Mustangj]

The guy at my LHBS told me it's going to be hard to find low AA hops. He also seid you will just have to use less of a higher AA. I don't know how true this is it's just what I herd.

 

[beergears]

A crazy idea, maybe, but aren't our neighbors to the south, with temperate climate, Latin America, Australia, etc, growing anything now, in their summertime..?

 

[olllllo]

A crazy idea, maybe, but aren't our neighbors to the south, with temperate climate, Latin America, Australia, etc, growing anything now, in their summertime..?

The hops market has been globalized for decades.
All of the hops growing acreage has been shrinking over the years due to economic conditions. It takes several years and a hefty investment to startup a new hops concern.

Go to the BN and listen to Ralph from Hop Union.

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/archive/dwnldarchive12-02-07.mp3

 

[Finster]

This hop shortage cannot be good for the HBSes even if they can make a bigger profit on hops. If they are in real danger of running out of hops they have several choices none of which is going to be taken well by customers.
They can limit quantities or tie it to grain purchases and still keep the prices reasonable, which seems to be the most common solution. This loses some customers but allows them to continue to serve their repeat customers for the year.
They can price the hops really high with no discount for volume to reduce demand but this is usually seen as taking advantage of customers and likely to lose even more long term customers.
Or they can run out and not be able to supply customers for a long stretch of time until more hops becomes available.
This may close the doors of many struggling HBS.
Craig

I have no problem with the diminishing varieties and limited selection of hops. That will just force me to be creative. Im not afriad of tinkering with recipe's or trying new things. Thats something I'd be doing anyway, hops shortage or not. Thats half the fun. My problem is with availability. Ive come across at least a dozen hbs that will not sell hops without an order for malts, yeast, ect. In other words im pretty much screwed unless I want to shell out even more money for things I already have and dont need.

Screw it. Maybe I'll just stop using hops all together. Whats the worste thing that could happen? I end up with 5 gallons of Budwiser?

 

[Ender]

wrong thread!

 

[Beerthoven]

Well, it looks like Hops Direct is no longer taking orders. Glad I got my order in just under the wire. Its on its way from WA right now.

January 15, 2008

After taking time to review numbers & count inventory, it looks like the 2007 crop sales are done.

We had hundreds of orders, as well as emails, over the holiday break and apologize for the delay to some of you, we are just not staffed this time of year for such high volumes.

Now we are looking ahead, working on equipment for our growing season this spring. The farm has a hop combine that's been in the development stages for the last 2 years and we anticipate full use this summer...watch for photos.

Additionally, we are implementing some changes in varieties we will be growing and hope for good weather!

We certainly hope in August you venture back here and see what is going on and which domestic leaf varieties are available. Keep in mind, normal hop havesting begins here in the states about the 20th of August.

Thank you for the orders but also for the great group of people we get to work with in the homebrewing world. Your hobby is appreciated.

 

[brewhead]

We certainly hope in August you venture back here

AUGUST ppl. wow!

 

[EinGutesBier]

I am tempted to try an real old fashioned route and brew with Spruce buds. That is what they used in the days before hops.
Ben Franklin wrtote allot about using Spruce buds as they were a native crop.

Do you have any references on that? I'd like to hear more...

 

[brewt00l]

Hop availability chart from the Northern Brewer forum:

http://www.brew365.com/hop_availability_chart.php

 

[EdWort]

Wow, Northern Brewer is selling hops for $6 an ounce.

 

[brewt00l]

Wow, Northern Brewer is selling hops for $6 an ounce.

Did you see the explanation? I dunno.....:


January 10, 2008 - Hop prices are, regrettably, very high right now. Northern Brewer has a finite amount of hops available for 2008, and I am essentially pricing them based on supply and demand. Even at today's prices, people are buying so many hops from us that we will run out before the end of 2008. I intend to continually adjust our prices until our sales velocity is where we need it to be.

I would not encourage anyone to 'stock up' at these prices. In fact, if you can just wait a week or two, lower prices are just around the corner. I am trying to get a firm commitment from one of our vendors which will allow us to add about 50% more hops to our 2008 supply. They have been dragging their feet on this, but once I have something in writing, I will certainly be able to lower our prices significantly.

I don't believe that prices like this are good for the homebrewing industry. But I also believe that the only thing worse than high prices is not selling any hops at all, which is what a most homebrew stores are doing right now. Many homebrew retailers have hops, but they are hoarding them. They are keeping them for their own internal use, such as putting them in beer kits. Others impose strict limits on how many hops you can purchase. These practices are driving up our prices, because at present, we're one of the few shops crazy enough to put our supply of hops up for sale. (We still impose some limits on large hop orders, but we are much more liberal than most of our competition.) I expect other homebrew retailers to eventually overcome their fear of selling hops, and this too will bring prices back to a sensible level.

---
Chris Farley

http://northernbrewer.com/hop-pellets.html

 

[EdWort]

Did you see the explanation? I dunno.....:

Oh yes, but still, 6 bucks an ounce. I mean my investment in 5 pounds of cascade last year is doing a heck of a lot better in appreciation than my stock portfolio lately.

I foresee the ability to sell a pound on eBay for $100 this year.

Crazy!

 

[brewt00l]

Oh yes, but still, 6 bucks an ounce. I mean my investment in 5 pounds of cascade last year is doing a heck of a lot better in appreciation than my stock portfolio lately.

I foresee the ability to sell a pound on eBay for $100 this year.

Crazy!

It's getting crazy. I though it was nutty that I paid $3.89 an ounce for US Goldings the other week at my LHBS. They are now limiting hop purchases to folks that buy grain or DME/LME too.

 

[EdWort]

It's getting crazy. I though it was nutty that I paid $3.89 an ounce for US Goldings the other week at my LHBS. They are now limiting hop purchases to folks that buy grain or DME/LME too.

Yeah, I was at Austin Home Brew this week and they are limiting customers to 4 ounces so they have hops to sell with kits. Makes sense to me.

 

[balto charlie]

Oh yes, but still, 6 bucks an ounce. I mean my investment in 5 pounds of cascade last year is doing a heck of a lot better in appreciation than my stock portfolio lately.

I foresee the ability to sell a pound on eBay for $100 this year.

Crazy!

better than the stock market

 

[SW Brewer]

My local HBS had plenty of hops today (though they just received their shipment today for the week). The guy there said that lower prices are coming and the new crop is nearly in (not sure what that meant). Hops are cheaper there than online but they are limiting sales to 4 ounces per variety per customer. I bought enough to hold me for three brews, but thats all I could sensibly do.

Greg

 

[Seabee John]

looks like hops direct is empty... anyone else still selling bulk?

hop farm outlook 2008

January 15, 2008

After taking time to review numbers & count inventory, it looks like the 2007 crop sales are done.

We had hundreds of orders, as well as emails, over the holiday break and apologize for the delay to some of you, we are just not staffed this time of year for such high volumes.

Now we are looking ahead, working on equipment for our growing season this spring. The farm has a hop combine that's been in the development stages for the last 2 years and we anticipate full use this summer...watch for photos.

Additionally, we are implementing some changes in varieties we will be growing and hope for good weather!

We certainly hope in August you venture back here and see what is going on and which domestic leaf varieties are available. Keep in mind, normal hop havesting begins here in the states about the 20th of August.

Thank you for the orders but also for the great group of people we get to work with in the homebrewing world. Your hobby is appreciated.

Sincerely,
HOPS Direct, LLC

 

[McKBrew]

I guess we all knew this was coming, but I didn't expect it to go from something to nothing so fast. Luckily I've got a few batches worth of hops left and as long as my LHBS keeps selling them for 3.50/2oz and has some in stock, I guess I'm fortunate. I'll be damned if I'd pay 6 bucks for an ounce. Sorry, but I think that is just taking advantage of the situation.

Really makes a strong case for someone to start a small-scale hop farm that only caters to homebrewers.

 

[EinGutesBier]

You know, if rhizomes are still cheap, I think I'll just grow my own hops, thank you. What's a good place to get them?

 

[Seabee John]

You know, if rhizomes are still cheap, I think I'll just grow my own hops, thank you. What's a good place to get them?

try www.freshops.com they seem to be a good place to start. it will be interesting to see how many folks try their hand at gardening this year...

 

[Mustangj]

try www.freshops.com they seem to be a good place to start. it will be interesting to see how many folks try their hand at gardening this year...

I can't wait. It's going to be sweet to see the look on my neighbors faces when they see me put 12' posts in the ground.:rockin:

 

[Seabee John]

I can't wait. It's going to be sweet to see the look on my neighbors faces when they see me put 12' posts in the ground.:rockin:

I've got a 20 foot abandoned telephone pole that I'm stringing cables on... should work well. Make sure you read up on growing hops and specifically the light/shade requirements of the hops you are growing. I need to grow a partial shade variety in order to have success.

 

[Mustangj]

I've got a 20 foot abandoned telephone pole that I'm stringing cables on... should work well. Make sure you read up on growing hops and specifically the light/shade requirements of the hops you are growing. I need to grow a partial shade variety in order to have success.

I was going to start reading up on that. I have a area with a lot of sun.

I also have a telephone pole in my back yard.

 

[mrkristofo]

I wonder how well hops survive a UT winter...

 

[Mustangj]

I wonder how well hops survive a UT winter...

Like a green house?

 

[EinGutesBier]

try www.freshops.com they seem to be a good place to start. it will be interesting to see how many folks try their hand at gardening this year...

I went there but they have no prices listed. Does that mean that they're out of stock or rhizomes are unavailable?

 

[mrkristofo]

I went there but they have no prices listed. Does that mean that they're out of stock or rhizomes are unavailable?

Out of stock until March 20, 2008.

 

[Mustangj]

For get it.

 

[EinGutesBier]

Out of stock until March 20, 2008.

Oh, well that's fine. It's not like I could grow them now if I wanted to, anyway. That'll be good timing.

 

[Mustangj]

I've got a 20 foot abandoned telephone pole that I'm stringing cables on... should work well. Make sure you read up on growing hops and specifically the light/shade requirements of the hops you are growing. I need to grow a partial shade variety in order to have success.

Do you have a link for a good read?

 

[Brew Runner]

Rhizomes aren't available from anyone until early spring.

I started growing my own hops about three years ago and thus far have four varieties. I could have had my own supply of Centennial this year, but they were backordered and a certain unnamed major brew supply shipped them out at the end of the week. Ultimately they sat in a hot shipping warehouse over the weekend and were dead when I got them late Monday.

As it was, my brewing was going slow over the sumer and I didn't bother to pick the hops I do have, so they're all brown. Now there's a shortage and I feel stupid. I might still go and gather them up. They still smell good when I crush the cones....

 

[Seabee John]

Do you have a link for a good read?

for specific info & links - www.freshops.com

for a great how too check out - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=26406

 

[sleepystevenson]

Do you guys who are growing hops feel it is necessary to have a single string for them? The reason I ask, is my neighbor has a fencing business, and I was planning on using a 10' wide and at least 10' high fence section for each variety of hops. It is your standard metal fence, sorta like a trellis. Another question...how many plants do you figure I could plant in a 10' section of the fence? Thanks!

 

[Drunkensatyr]

I am about to sell my Cocaine kilos in exchange for hop kilos. Looks like they are going to be worth more.

 

[EinGutesBier]

Rhizomes aren't available from anyone until early spring.

I started growing my own hops about three years ago and thus far have four varieties. I could have had my own supply of Centennial this year, but they were backordered and a certain unnamed major brew supply shipped them out at the end of the week. Ultimately they sat in a hot shipping warehouse over the weekend and were dead when I got them late Monday.

As it was, my brewing was going slow over the sumer and I didn't bother to pick the hops I do have, so they're all brown. Now there's a shortage and I feel stupid. I might still go and gather them up. They still smell good when I crush the cones....

Well, if you're not sure what to do with those brown hops, I'd happily take them off of your hands so I can age them and toss them in a lambic. The beer will be in the mail.

 

[Mustangj]

for specific info & links - www.freshops.com

for a great how too check out - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=26406

Thanks.:rockin:

 

[Brew-boy]

I have a center pole with 4 hops plants growing up the pole.

[/IMG]

 

[Mustangj]

Brew-boy how old are those vines?