Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Hop Guru Stan Hieronymus recently wrote about a newly named hop, Thora (pronounced Thawr-ah) from the collaboration between the Hop Quality Group (HQG) and the USDA public breeding program.
According to the press release about the new hop, “Thora stands out with its intense and complex aroma, bursting with notes of passionfruit, guava, grapefruit, and stone fruit, underscored by resinous and dank undertones.”
Time to talk agriculture AND business. One intersection point is the planning of which and how many hops to grow. It is hard to make such estimates into the future but with craft brewing slower than the past, the amount of hops needed is lower.
The USDA is forecasting that, in the Northwest, hop acreage for harvest will be down 8% from 2023. The biggest hop varietals, Citra and Mosaic were reduced the most as growers are trying to balance out their portfolios.
Might be more reductions and varietal shifts coming. It is serious logistical work being a hop grower.