Biggest Impact On 2020 Hop Crop? Smoke

To say 2020 has been a “unique year” for the local farm community may be an understatement, and that has been no different for local hop growers. Jaki Brophy, Washington Hop Commission and Hop Growers of America Communications Director, said while the 2020 harvest was large, smoke from September wildfires was a major contributor as to why the yield-per-acre decreased from last year.

"Basically it just created some of the cones to become more brittle. During the harvesting process, than can cause what we call cone shatter. So yields were lower this year, unfortunately."

The Pacific Northwest provides about 40% of the world's hop supply.

"However, due to decreased demand that ended up happening because of COVID, this is actually a good year to have a no-so-great year. It worked out well in that regard."

Washington, and specifically the Yakima Valley, continued to see investment in hops because of a favorable combination in latitude, soil, rain shadow and demand. 

Brophy said a higher latitude means a longer day during the growing season, which is good for a crop that has seen higher demand due in part to the rise in popularity of IPAs and other types of beer. The region's many rain shadows also assist growers, as they are able to control conditions with the use of irrigation. In fact, hops are so successful in the Pacific Northwest that many growers get a crop their first year, unlike most of the rest of the world. 

She added that changing preferences in consumers and beer producers represents the biggest difficulty in 2021. With so many small breweries and changing tastes, it will be imperative that hop growers continue to work with their customers to provide for their long term needs.​

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