Hops introduced as cash crop in Montrose

MONTROSE �” A new crop has been introduced to Montrose, creating excitement among the microbrewing community.

Wednesday was the first harvest at San Juan Hop Farms. About 25 people gathered at the farm west of Montrose, spending the day harvesting the flower cones. Though this year’s hop yield was small, about 1,300 pounds per acre, next year the vine plants will move to a new home. The vines will be transferred to a prepared 34-acre plot of land just east of co-owner Randy Flores’ home and garden. Plans for the farm from there get even bigger.

Flores and his business partners, Scott and Pam Bennett, started with about 1,500 hop roots, rhizomes, in a 7,500-square-foot garden. The site once housed sheep and the ground is well-fertilized. The 1,500 starters should turn into 15,000 plants, he said.

“It’s an incredibly aggressive plant,” Flores said.

Rows of hop vines have been trained to weave up a nylon netting which traditionally reached 18 feet tall. The farm’s trellis system is only 10 feet tall to save labor time.

On Wednesday, owners and employees from several area breweries consisting of Durango’s Ska, Telluride’s Smugglers, Grand Junction’s Kannah Creek and Tommy Knocker from Idaho Springs came to harvest the hops from the garden. Three Rivers from New Mexico and Moab Brewery were also present. For many, it was a unique and exciting opportunity.

“The whole thing is cool,” said Dave Thibodeau, co-founder of Ska. “It’s not very often a brewer is able to pick (hops) fresh, much less go home right away and use them in their beer.”

Hops are primarily grown in the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. When the hops get to brewers in Colorado, they are usually in pellet form. Hops are used for flavor and for stabilization during the brewing process.

At San Juan Hop Farms there were two hop varieties. Cascade is an aroma hop added to the kettle at the end of brewing, Thibodeau said. Chinook is a bittering hop used mostly at the beginning. However, it’s sometimes used at the end.

“Cascade is recognizable,” Thibodeau said. “You’ll remember the smell because it’s a popular hop.”

It’s not actually the hops that the brewers need, but what’s inside.

“What the brewers are after is the yellow powder,” Flores said.

The oily powder is called lupulin.

Though hops are very important in brewing, they are also used to create natural pesticides and food preservatives.

However, the farm’s main focus is on microbreweries. With the high demand for hops, Flores and the Bennetts believe they’ve made the right choice.

Breweries have increased across the world, Flores said, including seven new establishments in Russia and three in China. This has caused an increase in demand that is larger than the supply.

Many hops farmers started growing corn several years ago because of the high market price. Those who have stayed in the market, from New Zealand to England, have experienced hardships such as drought.

Two years ago, Flores said hops cost about $2 per pound. Today that price is around $15.

Next year, the 34-acre farm is expected to have four varieties of hops, including Cascade and Chinook. Hops are perennials and hit full maturity in about three years. Flores expects the crop to have a 60 to 80 percent yield next year, producing around 1,600 to 1,800 pounds per acre. A mature crop will produce about 2,200 pounds per acre.

The crop doesn’t like salt, he said, but loves the high desert climate and sun in western Colorado. The first plot’s soil has been tested and is ready to go. Several other fields also have potential. The farm may eventually grow barley as well.

The first year is the most expensive, Flores said. Later the crop only needs to be irrigated and can be harvested mechanically.

For local brewers, this is a big draw as they may contract with the farm for local hops.

The hops they picked Wednesday will be tasted in brews in about a month.

“You’ll be drinking this in Montrose,” said Chris Fish, head brewer at Smugglers. He plans on creating an American style pale ale with the hops starting today.

“It’s pretty much the type of beer I’ve always wanted to make, but haven’t had the chance,” he said. He plans to make the yet-to-be-named beer with only fresh hops.

Contact Kati O’Hare via e-mail at katio@montrosepress.com