Bringing hops back to northern Wisconsin
Wisconsin, long known for its famous breweries, once also led the nation in the production of Hops, the flowers of which traditionally give beer its bitter flavor notes and herbal aromas. Today, more than seventy percent of the nation's hops supply grows in the Yakima Valley region of Washington State. With brewers facing fluctuating supplies and high prices as a result of the limited production of hops, more and more Wisconsin breweries are looking for reliable local hops suppliers, and more Wisconsin farmers are recognizing the value of hops as part of their production. Although the start up costs of establishing hops plots can be high, the market value for the mature flowers makes hops an attractive option for a supplemental farm income source.
In the fall of 2010, AERC volunteers planted eighty rhizomes of four different traditional European hops provided by the Wisconsin Hops and Barley Cooperative. With funding assistance from Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, we will be calling on volunteers once again for an adventure in building trellises. With a little luck and some elbow grease, we will be able to build trellises tall and strong enough to handle vines growing more than twenty feet tall!
To see photos and follow the progress of the Hops Trials, click here.
In the fall of 2010, AERC volunteers planted eighty rhizomes of four different traditional European hops provided by the Wisconsin Hops and Barley Cooperative. With funding assistance from Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, we will be calling on volunteers once again for an adventure in building trellises. With a little luck and some elbow grease, we will be able to build trellises tall and strong enough to handle vines growing more than twenty feet tall!
To see photos and follow the progress of the Hops Trials, click here.
