53 min listen
262: Eric, Claire, and Alex of CLS Farms Discuss the Past, Present, and Future of Hop Farming
262: Eric, Claire, and Alex of CLS Farms Discuss the Past, Present, and Future of Hop Farming
ratings:
Length:
65 minutes
Released:
Sep 23, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
The current hot market for hops that has persisted for about a decade now is a bit of a historical blip. From the 60’s through the 00’s, the hop market experienced structural decline as reduced demand for bittering hops and increased alpha acid levels and extraction methods hit growers from both sides. But the craft brewery acceleration around 2012 ushered in a new set of demands and opportunities for hop growers. In the ten years since, growers have planted roughly 18,000 new acres of hops in Washington State, higher prices mean growers finally have the resources to make significant upgrades to farm operations, and the outlook is far different than it appeared just a decade and a half years ago.
But with this comes challenges. The lifespan of fields has shortened dramatically, the cost involved with turning over fields has increased, and the market has become more dynamic than its ever been.
In this episode, Eric Desmarais, his daughter Claire Desmarais, and technical advisor Alex Nowell, discuss the state of the farm right now, including:
changes in harvest timing strategy
the impact of picking time on aroma and flavor
evaluating hop readiness for harvest
the challenging state of the 2022 harvest and what that means for brewers
managing risk in planting new varieties
dialing back speculation on new varieties like Sabro
how to be effective as a brewer when selecting hops
getting through the lag between initial brewer experiments with new hops and sustainable farming volumes
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
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Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Hey nano-brewers! Fermentis offers dry ale and lager yeasts in flexible 100g packaging. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
Brewmation (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod): Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. Visit them at brewmation.com/cbbpod (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod) to get started.
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But with this comes challenges. The lifespan of fields has shortened dramatically, the cost involved with turning over fields has increased, and the market has become more dynamic than its ever been.
In this episode, Eric Desmarais, his daughter Claire Desmarais, and technical advisor Alex Nowell, discuss the state of the farm right now, including:
changes in harvest timing strategy
the impact of picking time on aroma and flavor
evaluating hop readiness for harvest
the challenging state of the 2022 harvest and what that means for brewers
managing risk in planting new varieties
dialing back speculation on new varieties like Sabro
how to be effective as a brewer when selecting hops
getting through the lag between initial brewer experiments with new hops and sustainable farming volumes
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Still emptying those overflowing wastebins full of low-fills, crushed and damaged cans, or under carbonated beer every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro with ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew. Email ContactUs@probrew.com today!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Hey nano-brewers! Fermentis offers dry ale and lager yeasts in flexible 100g packaging. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
Brewmation (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod): Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. Visit them at brewmation.com/cbbpod (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod) to get started.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Get 25 percent off all hardware when you launch with Arryved before December 1st, 2022. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
Released:
Sep 23, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
3: Freetail Brewing Founder Scott Metzger Joins John Holl: Senior Editor John Holl is joined by Scott Metzger to discuss the decision to launch Freetail Brewing Company (7:00), the evolution and change of laws in Texas (12:50), the Great American Beer Festival and macro breweries (26:22), what is craft beer (35:00), and beer quality accountability (45:50). by Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast