Crop Management Practices and Labor Inputs for Hop Production in Florida

The UF/IFAS GCREC research hop yard in Balm, FL at night. Credits: Shinsuke Agehara, UF/IFAS

The booming craft beer industry, rising prices of hops, and demand for locally-produced ingredients have recently increased interest in local hop production among growers and brewers. This article describes crop management practices and labor inputs required for small-scale hop production in Florida, with the aim of assisting growers with investment and farm management decisions. It is part of a larger series that will review the challenges of hop production in Florida, based on research experience at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm, FL. This new 6-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department was written by Shinsuke Agehara, Mariel Gallardo, Aleyda Acosta-Rangel, Zhanao Deng, Jack Rechcigl, Tianyuan Luo, and Qi Qiu.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1409

Selection and Preparation of Planting Material for Successful Hop Production in Florida

‘Cascade’ hop tissue-cultured liners. These liners need to be transplanted and grown in pots until they reach a suitable size for field setting. Credits: Shinsuke Agehara, UF/IFAS

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.), an essential ingredient in beer, have potential to develop as a viable alternative crop in Florida. In our surveys, many breweries have expressed strong interest in using locally grown hops. However, hop production is plagued by many diseases, most of which were inadvertently introduced through the movement of contaminated planting material. The primary purposes of this new 7-page article are to prevent the introduction of these diseases into the state and to provide recommendations for selecting and preparing planting material for successful hop production in Florida. This publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department is part of a larger series that will review the challenges of hop production, based on research experience at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS GCREC) in Balm, FL.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1381

Harvest Techniques for Hops (Humulus lupulus)

Hop cone formation. Left: newly formed hop burr. Right: mature hop cone.

Hops (Humulus lupulus) are perennial plants commonly harvested for their mature strobiles, also referred to as cones, which are primarily dried and used as a bittering agent and preservative in beer production. The two primary factors of harvest timing and harvest method can have large impacts on the quality and economics of the finished product. The decision of when and how to harvest is important and should rely upon growing-region-specific environmental conditions, physical observations of the cones, and the wants and needs of the individual producer. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department describes the primary methods used in hop harvesting, including field, indoor, and machine harvesting. Written by Sean Michael Campbell and Brian J. Pearson.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep578