Hop Selection

Making the harvest trip to the Northwest is nice, if you can swing it, but hop merchants are widening the opportunities for smaller breweries to select lots. First, however, know the profile of the hops you want.

By making direct connections with farmers, wherever they are, brewers can improve the quality and variety of hops they get—even at the smallest breweries.

Relying on the spot market is no reason to accept hops that don’t meet your brewery’s standards. Here are tips from the hop-sensory pros on making sure you get the traits and quality you need.

Last year’s wildfires had an unforeseen effect on the 2020 hop crop. The phenols involved have low volatility and high solubility, which means they transfer easily from hops to beer. Here’s what you need to know.

From online hops selection and virtual harvest to Craft Malt Week, producers and brewers are finding new ways to connect while travel is limited.