Hop Availability

On the positive side those two hops are grown 'down under' and it is fall now there. The 2017 crop should be about ready to be picked (or already picked?). How long this takes to be available to homebrewers I am uncertain. For US hops which are picked in the early fall it seem like it takes until December/January until homebrewers get to buy them.

Cheers!

 

Hops are harvested and processed annually. The exact timing depends (mostly) on the country/region. It's not uncommon for some varieties to become scarce in between harvests.

Galaxy is Australian. Nelson Sauvin is from New Zealand. I think Australian varieties are typically harvested in March, and New Zealand varieties are typically harvested in late February and March, but I'm not very familiar with them. But for imported hops in general, it does take some time for processing and for them to make their way to the US, particularly for home brewers. (Pro brewers, particularly those with contracts, get first dibs.)

 

I will add to this. There about 1200 acres of hops in AU, 1000 or less in NZ. That is not much. IIRC They had a low harvest yield last year, what did make it to homebrewers is gone.

2017 hops need to be processed and shipped, then clear customs. Probably will show up around July-ish.

Edit - the most in demand hops are the ones the OP mentioned, well many of the AU and NZ hops. There is no "hop shortage", but certain ones are in short supply.

 

You can find them if you try...at a price

 

For commercial brewers, Galaxy is selling for over $30 a pound now and Nelson is over $22. If they do become available to homebrewers, it will be scarce and will likely (not guaranteed, but I'd be cautious) be hops that commercial brewers deemed unacceptable quality.

 

One of the 'dark sides' of being a homebrewer.

Non-cheers to this situation!

 

Yeah, it's an unfortunate circumstance as a small brewer as well. The big brewers select their lots and the small brewers are left with everything that was left on the table. Fortunately, I've been able to develop good relations with Hop Head Farms and Crosby Farms and the two of them have me covered. I over contract hops so that I can purchase the minimum quantity in order get a lot selection, then I fill in the gaps for other hops by only purchasing from a select group of brewers and small brokers that I know personally. It's a pain in the ass, but worth the hassle IMO.

 

Very prudent of you (and your owners).

Last fall I took a tour of Cape May Brewing (Cape May , NJ). This brewery is 'owned' by two younger guys (30ish) but the person who gave the tour was the father of one guy (and majority investor?) of the brewery. I asked him if the brewery contracted for hops and he responded with an empathic "No!" and a stern look as well. I thought to myself (is that a good idea?) but given the response did not ask any follow up questions.

Cheers!

 

I'd be interested to know how much (%) of pricey, proprietary hops like Galaxy that commercial brewers contract for...the homebrewing spot market seems very lucrative also.

 

I've wondered the same thing before myself. I can tell you that Barth Haas has some great Citra and Mosaic, but for small brewers to get them, we have to go through Hop Head Farms or Willamette Valley Hops. When I contacted Barth Haas to inquire about purchasing directly, they said they wouldn't do so unless we brewed 25,000 BBL per year. I had also asked about doing a lot selection with them and the minimum contract size for a lot selection was 5,500 lbs. I then asked if I could just contract for 5,500 lbs of Citra and that I would worry about how to sell the 4,400 lbs out of that which I would be unable to use and I was told no.

That said, anything you purchase from Hop Head Farms is the exact same hops that commercial brewers get and I am always very happy with the quality from them.

 

Jeff and Bonnie are good people. They had a good source for the new German hops a few years back, and bigger breweries were going to them. Might be different now.

 

@IACraftBeerNative

I purchased several pounds of the 2016 harvest of Galaxy in August 2016 and that was when they just hit the market for homebrewers in the US. It will be hard to find Galaxy until late summer this year without paying a premium for it, but I'm sure you can still find it if you look hard enough.

I never once saw 2016 Nelson for sale at the usual places I check.

 

Maybe a little earlier than August? I had Galaxy on hand on July when I brewed the APNEIPA. I purchased it July 8. It was advertised as "New Crop."

 

Does that mean you did see 2015 Nelson?

 

Yes. I bought some. Still have some actually.

 

I've seen 2016 Nelson listed on sites but never in stock. Maybe they got a small amount and sold out quickly.