Hop Production In Kansas Essay

823 Words4 Pages

Hop Production in Kansas
Aaron Peters

Background
Everywhere you go it seems, you see an advertisement for a brewery. The number of microbreweries and home brewers has increased immensely in the last decade, and there seems to be no one wanting to capitalize on the opportunity to grow a crop that is essential to the beer making process. Hops are mainly used in the brewing process as a bittering and flavoring source as well as a natural anti-microbial agent to keep the beer on the shelves longer. Kansas was the home of prohibition and now there is a thriving brewing culture in the state. Unfortunately, many Kansas brewers are looking elsewhere for this essential ingredient. The purpose of this report is to show the viability and considerations in growing this …show more content…

According to historical USDA reports, there was 396 pounds of hops harvested in Kansas from the 1870 census. Row crops and wheat will always be the main crops grown in the state, but if you have the need for a specialty crop or are a small acreage farm it may be a good fit for. Hops produce cones which are the part of the plant that is sought after in the brewing process. There are a few producers of this crop in Kansas so there is proof that the crop can be grown in our volatile climate. Many Kansas farmers will not want to take many acres out of cereal-grain production or row-crop production, but hops are a plant that doesn’t take up much space to be profitable. Another desirable trait of the hop plant is that it’s a perennial plant. Once a hop yard one acre in size becomes fully mature, it can produce yields of around 1,000 to 2,400 pounds, depending on variety (Eyck, Gehring, 2015). So once the plant is established, they can give profitable yields for years to come. As with other crops, there are many considerations Kansas farmer’s need to take into consideration before deciding whether or not to grow this specialty