Time flies! Seriously. It’s now been a solid decade since I’ve started following Florida’s journey into growing hops for the burgeoning local craft beer market. Back in 2015, the possibility of actually growing hops in Florida’s less-than-hospitable environment was still a question. Since then, that question has been answered and then some — thanks in huge part to researchers at University of Florida.
According to UF/IFAS, 19 microbreweries have brewed more than 5,000 gallons of beer using hops grown at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Balm, FL. “With almost no local commercial hops production, we are most likely the largest supplier of Florida-grown hops,” says Shinsuke Agehara, UF/IFAS Associate Professor.
Feedback from brewers has been helpful to Agehara and his fellow scientists. Local brewers are keyed in on the unique aromas of hops that are grown in Florida. Agehara says hints of sweet melon, honeydew, and pineapple have been detected. These are in contrast to similar hops grown in more traditional production areas like the Pacific Northwest…