Each year, hop growers engage in a mad race to pull out thousands of acres of planted hops that have fallen out of favor with brewers, and to replace them with plants of the varieties that brewers will want in the years to come.
The United States Department of Agriculture tracks these acres planted and reports on them each year, offering a glimpse into demand for specific hop varities. Here, we've looked at the five fastest-growing varieties by acreage, as well as the five varieties that lost the most acreage from 2018 to 2019. It's no surprise that an increasing focus on flavorful, fruity, aroma hops is driving a rapid increase in demand for hops that produce those flavors.