Hops growing in strange, unfamiliar places

Hops grow pretty well anywhere , my local hedgerows are full of them in late summer.Very few places indeed have ideal conditions for growing top quality brewing hops though.

 

Last year's USA Hops report from the Hop Growers of America listed over 20 states outside the traditional Big 3 (WA, OR, ID) growing hops commercially - See page 4.

 

One of my customers recently told me that for years, he's had random vines of Willamette and I think Warrior hops growing all over his yard and house and he has no idea why lol. He's actually gonna be bringing me samples soon, and if I want, I can take bushels of it if I want! This'll be very interesting because I would love to dry hop with perfectly fresh hops

 

I've used local SC grown hops in some homebrews and know of at least 4 growers in SC, but I didn't see SC on the report @jesskidden posted.

 

Cascade and a few other varieties have been doing pretty good in Maryland last few years. This year, Japanese Beetles have been crushing them (at least my pals hop plants have been decimated, but recovering slightly now). He set up some beetle traps in the yard and it seems to have helped but the damage may already be done.

 

If the growers don't report their crop to the HGA, I guess they can't include them in their stats.

 

I'd say @marquis is spot on with his observation. It seems that hops will grow lots of places (including some where we don't see them now in the US). The real issue seems to be whether or not someone can grow and harvest a commercially viable crop that can be used in brewing.

 

This article is cool as hell. I found it interesting that 1) they use a new strain of hop seldom used before and 2) the hops the first year were stressed and produced off aromas, but the 2nd year produced citrus aromas.

I think this sort of thing is great, if Florida can start growing hops, cultivate a "new" varietal, and help ease demand for aroma hops, that is awesome.

 

If they can grow hops in an arid country like Australia I'm pretty sure they can be grown anywhere... probably not in tundra or arctic conditions though.

 

Yup, hop plants will grow just about anywhere.

Some interesting reading here: https://www.fivebladesbrewing.com/neomexicanus-hops-primer/

Cheers!

 

Agree, as I thought moisture/fungus was hops worst enemy. The new hop being used was mentioned is native to New Mexico. Extremely dry climate to probably the most humid climate in USA (i.e. Florida).

Verdict is out until it goes to larger scale beyond 100 plants and also we actually taste the beers its used in to see if this is any good or not.

 

Hops are said to grow best between the 35th and 55th parallels.

The lack of long summer daylight, and the humidity are problems for FL. Hops also need a cold period in the winter, when they are dormant, so that might be another issue. FL does have plenty of water and sun.

The Yakima Valley is high desert. The hops are grown with drip irrigation with water from the Yakima River, which is snowmelt off of the Cascade Mountains.

New Mexico has neoMexicanus hops, but the ones I have read about are in the mountains in the north, there may be others to the south. The Monistary can be viewed in the link here, that is about latitude 36. The hop field is between the road 151 and Rio Chama.

 

This article by Stan Hieronymus has some data that says Florida Hops have a hard road to go if they wish to be economical.
http://appellationbeer.com/blog/