Why you need to diversify your hops supply chain
98% of US-grown hops are grown in three, western states
Relying on one supplier for a critical ingredient like hops is dangerous. If anything ever happened to the western hops harvest, it might result in: massive price spikes on hops, inability to get varieties you depend on, and inability to get the amounts of hops you need to brew.
Every year, the likelihood of a western hops harvest failure becomes more likely
Yakima Valley farmers rely almost entirely on water from snowpack in the mountains to irrigate their hops, but this “sixth reservoir” as it is sometimes called, is also quickly disappearing. A recent government study found that Washington faces the 3rd largest overall drought threat out of 50 states!
The Midwest has A LOT of water
Unlike the Western US, the Midwest has never had to worry about water. In fact, when I was growing up on a farm, my grandfather always used to say that too much rainfall was much more dangerous than too little. Here are some facts:
- The Midwest receives ~37″ of rainfall per year (Yakima Valley gets 9″)
- The Great Lakes hold ~20% of the worlds’s fresh water. 5,400 square miles of it!
- They hold 85% of all US fresh surface water!
The Future of Hops is in the Midwest
Hops need a lot of water to grow properly. Science shows that the West is losing water every year. Farmers in the Midwest have considerable reserves of groundwater, receive ample annual rainfall, and have the largest supply of fresh water in the entire world at their disposal. It is an indisputable fact – The future of US hops is in the Midwest.
While only at 2% today, Midwest hops share will grow quickly
While Midwest farmers are just starting to dip their toes in the water, we expect the the Midwest hops industry to grow very quickly over the next few years. Do not wait for a crisis to diversify your hops supply chain. Reach out to us today! We are happy to work with you on a no-contract basis. Don’t wait – Discover the 2% today!
Breweries, contact us today to get Midwest hops into your supply chain
