New York used to be king of the hop, before diseases put an end to the industry about 100 years ago.
The industry eventually moved west to parts of Oregon and Washington, where drier climates were more conducive to hop farming.
The days of dominating the industry probably won’t be returning, given those states now produce about 98 percent of all U.S. hops, but with the number of craft breweries tripling in New York in just four years, demand for high quality local hops is skyrocketing.
Additionally, under state farm brewery legislation, farm breweries must increasingly source their hops and other ingredients, such as barley, from New York farms, providing even more opportunity for farmers to cash in.
FL Times:
Read More
