Growing Hops in the Northeast

Discussion in 'New England' started by DeweyCheatem-n-Howe, May 5, 2016.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. DeweyCheatem-n-Howe

    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe Initiate (0) May 23, 2015 Massachusetts

    Anyone grow hops, particularly on more than just a homebrewer-level basis? Are there any particular strains that really grow well in New England, or some that grow like arse? What experiences do you have, and would you even consider decent-scale hop farming up here?

    I'm wondering if a hop farm isn't a nice alternative for beer lovers who want to contribute to the craft they love but don't feel like brewing is for them.
     
  2. messrock

    messrock Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2010 Massachusetts

    Check in with Marini Farms up in Ipswich. IIRC they supply the hops for Ipswich's harvest ale
     
    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe likes this.
  3. Bcelos

    Bcelos Initiate (0) Mar 24, 2015 Connecticut

    I know Kent Falls grow their own hops as well.
     
  4. WanderingFool

    WanderingFool Pooh-Bah (2,062) Aug 7, 2002 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Cascade hops do great in New England. I believe there's an organic hop farm in Maine that's growing Cascades.
     
    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe likes this.
  5. duchessedubourg

    duchessedubourg Savant (1,157) Nov 2, 2007 Vermont

    University of Vermont has had a commercial hop-growing program and annual conference for the last 5 years for those interested in cultivating hops for sale.
     
  6. BucketsB

    BucketsB Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2011 Massachusetts

    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe likes this.
  7. RedEcho

    RedEcho Devotee (382) Oct 23, 2012 Massachusetts

    Canterbury AleWorks in Canterbury, NH has a small, thriving, and absolutely beautiful hops operation - not to mention really good beer! I recommend a road trip some Saturday.
     
  8. marcrgrenier

    marcrgrenier Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2015 New Hampshire
    Trader

    I've been growing hops for the last 6 or 7 years, albeit more at the homebrew level than commercial farm level (i get a few pounds each year). I grow centennial and cascade, both do great in Southern NH. For a few years my dad grew nugget and mt hood close by and they did not do well at all.
     
    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe likes this.
  9. DeweyCheatem-n-Howe

    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe Initiate (0) May 23, 2015 Massachusetts

    Anyone ever try growing Citra or - god help me - Galaxy in the New England climate, or is that just not feasible?
     
  10. lic217

    lic217 Pooh-Bah (2,066) Aug 10, 2010 Connecticut
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I do not think you can grow them do to copyright stuff. Only certain hops are currently available.
     
    BAMF and jlordi12 like this.
  11. jlordi12

    jlordi12 Pooh-Bah (1,844) Jun 8, 2011 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    This is correct
     
  12. JGLittle

    JGLittle Pundit (897) Mar 24, 2012 Massachusetts

    Four Star Farms in Northfield Mass grows hops commercially.
     
  13. DeweyCheatem-n-Howe

    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe Initiate (0) May 23, 2015 Massachusetts

    Ok, that's interesting... thanks. Never really knew you could copyright hops.
     
  14. zeuiax

    zeuiax Initiate (0) May 1, 2016 New York

    Hop breeding and plant maturation takes years. Hop Breeding Company (HBC) holds rights to Citra, Mosaic and Equinox, YCR (select botonicals) holds Simoe, Warrior, anthum ...and Galaxy was bred by HPA (Hop Products Australia). Hop breeding is almost like developing new drugs...it takes years and climate has huge impact on hop plants. There is more to it than get some rhizome of Citra and start growing in your back yard.
     
  15. BranfordBound

    BranfordBound Initiate (0) Apr 7, 2010 Connecticut

    How about Czech or German hops (Noble Hops) in New England? I'd imagine that our climates would be somewhat similar, maybe with a more intense summer the more southern you go in New England, but I would think these varieties would be pretty hardy. Love to hear the input.
     
  16. sjverla

    sjverla Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2008 Massachusetts

    Very much so, as @zeuiax pointed out above.

    Even if you were somehow able to get your hands on a Galaxy rhizome, and successfully cultivate it, it would almost certainly be different than the Australian import. For example, Fuggle (classic UK hop) wasn't growing well, so the Willamette hop came to be. The two are very closely related, but they're distinctly different hops, partially because of the divergence in lineage, partly because of terroir.
     
    jbertsch and DeweyCheatem-n-Howe like this.
  17. DeweyCheatem-n-Howe

    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe Initiate (0) May 23, 2015 Massachusetts

    Thank you. That's part of what I was hoping to learn with this post - how much does climate and soil affect how a hop grows, and the end product. I didn't know if they are as touchy and volatile as grapes in vineyards, or if the type of hop would develop similarly regardless of where it was planted.

    This has been a great learning thread for me, I appreciate it everyone, and keep it coming - this is fascinating to me.
     
    sjverla likes this.
  18. zeuiax

    zeuiax Initiate (0) May 1, 2016 New York

    Cascade from PNW, NY, Australia and NZ are all same hop but tastes completely different.
     
    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe likes this.
  19. DeweyCheatem-n-Howe

    DeweyCheatem-n-Howe Initiate (0) May 23, 2015 Massachusetts

    Is it possible to replicate soil conditions favorable to try and generate a particular outcome for a particular hop?
     
  20. zeuiax

    zeuiax Initiate (0) May 1, 2016 New York

    May be possible but Sun matter more than anything else. However, NE does fall in hop growing belt.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.