Craft-beer boom spurs local hops farmers

Pennsylvania leads the nation in craft-beer production even as breweries continue to pop up across the commonwealth.

But while more beer is being brewed in places like Carlisle, Harrisburg and York, brewers here must rely on some key ingredients that often travel to get here.

One is hops, which are not widely grown in Pennsylvania, or on the East Coast more generally.

In fact, most hops come from Washington, Oregon and Idaho, which account for the majority of the country’s hop production. Washington alone has about 40,000 acres of hops.

Two Cumberland County hop farmers are hoping to claim a piece of that market and inspire other Pennsylvania farmers to consider cultivating the crop for breweries in Pennsylvania.

“It’s a niche thing. Not too many people do it,” said Michael Reifsnyder, who planted 3,400 hop plants on his 15-acre West Pennsboro Township property in 2017.

A big reason for the lack of new hop farmers is difficulty in getting started and competing with larger established operations.

“These local houses are up against companies that can reach a better economy of scale, plus have quality control procedures and logistics plans that have been in place for decades,” said Brandalynn Armstrong, co-owner of Zeroday Brewing in Harrisburg. “It makes it harder for the small producer to compete.”

Hop growing requires a large trellis for the twining vines and an irrigation system. Farmers also need special equipment to harvest, process and package the hops.

Hops, which take three years to reach full harvest, also are prone to pests and diseases and can be difficult to grow in certain soil types and climates.

But Reifsnyder, who retired in 2011 from the U.S. Navy after 22 years of service, took a chance on hops after experimenting with grapes and asparagus on his Carlisle-area farm, dubbed GEMS Farm Hops. He also saw success at nearby hop yard Sunny Brae Farms and thought his farm could provide complementary varieties of fresh local hops to small breweries.

He and his wife, Sharon, along with their two teenage daughters, maintain the hop yard, which is entering its second year of harvest. GEMS currently grows five varieties of hops on 3.25 acres, but the plan is to eventually grow to seven acres, plant a wider variety of hops and reach more breweries.

“Expansion is on our radar,” he said.

Local thirst

In preparation for hop harvest later this summer and early fall, the Reifsnyders recently purchased equipment that will allow them to pelletize dried hops — meaning grind them into powder and press them into small pellets. Pelletized hops have a longer shelf life and are what many brewers rely on throughout the year.

GEMS expects to pelletize the majority of its hops this year after selling almost all of its harvest last fall for wet-hopped beers, also known as fresh-hop beers that use hops fresh off the vine, at a few local breweries.

Wet-hop batches of beer can use five to 10 times as many hops as pelletized batches.

The farm’s hop yard could yield about 5,000 or 6,000 pounds of hops this year.

Local brewers say they are eager to buy more local ingredients, including hops, but purchasing decisions come down to quality, price and availability.

Jeff Musselman, head brewer at the Millworks in Harrisburg, said the local market has struggled to check all three buckets. Most local hop farms are growing on one or two acres and not pelletizing.

“The vast majority of local hops are brewed in late summer or early fall for wet-hop beers,” he said. “That has been the big limitation.”

The Millworks and other breweries said they would like to buy more local hops year round, especially pelletized hops, to support farmers.

“I think brewers absolutely want to use it,” Musselman said, noting the differences in smell and taste between East and West Coast hops, which can change the flavor of new beer styles.

But Musselman said he expects local hops would cost more than those from larger West Coast suppliers, given the lower hop volumes at local farms. Nevertheless, he said he would still buy local hops for special PA Preferred brews, i.e., beers made with Pennsylvania-produced agricultural commodities, like hops or grain.

Victor Shaffer and Andrew Lyons started growing an acre of hops outside of Mechanicsburg last year. Their company, called Lion Bines Hop Farm, is expected to produce a partial harvest of hops this year and a full harvest next year.

But the partners are investing now in processing equipment to pelletize their hops, with an eye on making extra money by pelletizing hops for other farmers.

“In the future, we would love to process for other farms so there is less of a cost barrier,” Shaffer said.

Both Cumberland County hop farms acknowledged the hops business in Pennsylvania is not much more than a seedling. But through trial and error, they are optimistic hop farms will begin to sprout.

“I hope we see more hop growers,” Reifsnyder said.