It appears as if there could be a hop shortage next year according to this article: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/24/drought-and-hot-weather-cause-trouble-for-hops-growers.html Hops will cost more. Pro beer will cost more. People will be rioting in the streets for a pound of Citra! Plan accordingly. I recently bought 10# before I was aware of the forthcoming Hopocalypse and I don't feel adequately prepared.
See my link in this thread, Mildew is hitting the hops in MI. http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...s-this-years-hop-harvest.315901/#post-3901071 Out of views to the Eagle-Record.
As homebrewers, we can adapt to overcome the forces of nature. I like sour beers, but can't drink them all year. I love the hops! Hop prices doubled during the last major hop shortage, but homebrewers could still make hoppy beer. Some hops sold out early and became unobtainium.
It's good to see MI growing hops. So many places can grow hops. It's time for the rest of the country to challenge the NW hop growers.
I know hop growing is making a comeback in NY state, once the biggest producer. Evident the yield of 1000 lbs an acre is a problem. Maybe Colorado should start growing hopawana?
Let's see here..should we grow $400 an ounce weed or $1 an ounce hops? Clearly, the answer is grow weed.
MI is number 4 for acres of hops grown! woot! The reality is that there are 400+ acres under cultivation. About 5k acres in Idaho, 6k acres in OR, 27 k in WA. No one is going to challenge the PNW growers. Michigan is set to maybe double in the next year due to investment houses funding the expansion.
Bummer. Fortunately, I like sours, milds, stouts, porters, Belgians, lagers of all shapes and sizes, and of course, the balanced pale ale. I generally avoid brewing uber hoppy beers, so I may not notice. But maybe I'll get inspired to plant some rhizomes, just to be on the safe side.
