The micro-brewing industry is booming in the Unites States and Michigan is no exception. Since 1996, the number of breweries in Michigan jumped from two to 180 facilities.
"That number is just going to keep growing for a while and who knows where it will take us," said Rob Sirrine, MSU Extension educator for horticulture, community gardens and hop production. Sirrine taught one of three classes on hop production during last week's Ag Action Day at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The maximum capacity crowd was just additional proof that the crop holds both interest and possibilities for Michigan agriculture.
"Michigan rests on the same latitude as Germany, which is known for its hop production," Sirrine said. "Our climate is very similar with comparable rainfall, making Michigan an ideal location for the crop."
Most of the nation's hop production is concentrated in more arid regions, giving Michigan growers a competitive advantage when it comes to supplying enough water to meet the thirsty crop's needs.
Crop establishment, management and harvest are labor intensive and timing for each operation is critical. Downy mildew can be a serious problem and control must be applied weekly during critical times. A 10-day window amplifies the harvest urgency during early to mid-September.
In spite of establishment costs that can reach $60,000 for a five-acre plot—which is considered commercial scale in Michigan—and annual operating and post-harvest costs in the $15,000 per acre neighborhood, the net return per acre on a well-managed plot can reach $5,800 per acre. Once healthy plants are established, the plants are long lived and have been recorded as still productive at 60 years.
Hops are dioecious; both male and female plants are required for the female to produce the valuable cones. Below the ground, the rhizomes overwinter and act as a perennial plant while the above ground shoots grow rapidly through the growing season and if not harvested, completely deteriorate over winter.
Cones contain different properties that are important to brewers based on the desired outcome for each brew. Predominant varieties for brewers seeking alpha and bitter properties are the Columbus and Nugget. Aroma varieties high in essential oils and aromas such as Cascade are sought after by other brewers.
Plot and trellis design are critical components for the crop that will be part of the farm for many years. New shoots need annual retraining to climb the trellis and the plant will only grow clockwise around the trellis pole. Serrine can provide design plans and can be contacted at 23½56-9888 or sirrine@anr.msu.edu.
Obtaining starts from a reputable distributor is another key to getting and keeping a healthy establishment. Once the highly susceptible plants are infected with a disease, it nearly impossible to eradicate and can only be controlled or re-established.
Most desirable soils are sandy loam but the crop can be established and raised in a variety of soils, preferring slightly acidic soils of 6.2-6.5 pH. Serrine's research has discovered that growers tend to under-irrigate the plants whose bines can grow up to a foot per day.
He stresses the importance of having a marketing plan before establishing any plants. "Find a brewer and know what they want, then put together a written agreement so you aren't sitting on a very perishable and very valuable crop with no market," he said.
Interested in learning more about hop production? The Great Lakes Hop and Barley Conference scheduled for April 14-15 in Grand Rapids may provide insight if the crop would make sense with a current operation. For more information, visit http://hops.msu.edu/.