Every year in late summer, a centuries-old ritual takes place on farms from Washington’s Yakima valley to the Hallertau region of Bavaria. Hops growers pull soaring green bines from row after row of trellis and heap them into large piles on trucks that will carry them away to processing facilities. There, the hops cones will be picked, dried, and packaged before finding their way to breweries and, ultimately, into your favorite beer.
Where Hops Grow
Hops thrive in two geographic bands that fall roughly between the 35th and 50th parallels on either side of the equator. The vast majority is grown in the United States and Europe, which collectively account for about 90 percent of worldwide production by weight. And although virtually all American hops come from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, small farms can be found in many states.
Other global producers include China, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Southern hemisphere hops, from New Zealand in particular, have gained popularity in recent years thanks to distinctive varieties such as Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and Pacific Jade.