07 Mar Hop Farms Brewing A New Variety Of Crop In Indiana
By Peter Ambrose of HSPA News Service
Little by little, a new crop is beginning to take root in Indiana.
Some growers have started to produce hops to help quench demand for the plants as the craft beer industry expands nationwide and in Indiana. The movement has created a supply crunch, which new hop producers in the Midwest could eventually alleviate.
“We’re definitely seeing a lot of microbreweries,” said Mark Burton, a home brewer in Fort Wayne. “Within our region, we’re seeing them come out of the woodwork.”
He and two partners are working to start a small hop yard this year in order to maintain a supply for their beers as they would like to open a brewpub downtown.
Hops are the critical flavoring ingredient in beers, giving them their bitter taste. As a crop, they’re almost foreign to Indiana. But, within the past few years, a few farms began producing small quantities in the state.
Exact figures on hops production in Indiana are scarce due to the small yields. Eight acres were harvested last year, according to estimates in the Hop Growers of America’s 2014 statistical report. Among neighboring states, Michigan produced 300 acres of hops, Ohio had 30 acres and Illinois had 10 last year…. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AT REPORTER.NET
Little by little, a new crop is beginning to take root in Indiana.
Some growers have started to produce hops to help quench demand for the plants as the craft beer industry expands nationwide and in Indiana. The movement has created a supply crunch, which new hop producers in the Midwest could eventually alleviate.
“We’re definitely seeing a lot of microbreweries,” said Mark Burton, a home brewer in Fort Wayne. “Within our region, we’re seeing them come out of the woodwork.”
He and two partners are working to start a small hop yard this year in order to maintain a supply for their beers as they would like to open a brewpub downtown.
Hops are the critical flavoring ingredient in beers, giving them their bitter taste. As a crop, they’re almost foreign to Indiana. But, within the past few years, a few farms began producing small quantities in the state.
Exact figures on hops production in Indiana are scarce due to the small yields. Eight acres were harvested last year, according to estimates in the Hop Growers of America’s 2014 statistical report. Among neighboring states, Michigan produced 300 acres of hops, Ohio had 30 acres and Illinois had 10 last year…. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AT REPORTER.NET
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