Page 36 - Beverage MasterAug Sept 2020_Rev

Craft Brewery

plastic or mylar vacuum-sealed bags. Hops are gen- areas for any use of general or organic pesticide on
erally best used within a year of harvesting; how- a crop for sale.
ever, properly packaged hops can often enjoy an
extended shelf-life of up to five years. Other Post-harvest Tasks

Pruning and Trimming Considerations Around this time of the year, make sure that trick-
le and drip lines and tape are drained and don’t
Concerning maintaining the plants, this is the have water pockets that could freeze in the winter.
time to prune long stems off at the ground level. Cover lines that will remain in the field with plas-
Top-dress hops with compost and mulch now too, tic or mulch to prevent rodent damage. Growers
which is especially important when winter tem- with animals on their property can allow chickens
peratures drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit. or sheep back into the area to finish the cleanup
process in the fall. Some hop growers even use
For infected hops, trim the bines short after leaf hop bines as materials for winter wreaths as a side
drop and then remove the debris. Cut at about hobby or small business, so think creatively during
two inches above the new crown buds for bines any downtime after harvest.
that are still green and not killed off from the frost.
Then cover the remaining crown buds lightly with
soil or mulch before winter comes. It’s best to get
rid of weeds promptly, so they don’t lead to higher
disease infections.

Trellis Repair Considerations

After harvest, but before winter is also an ideal
time to inspect trellises and make any necessary
repairs to the construction. If any trellis repairs
are needed, stock up on supplies including anchor
and interior pole materials, cable, anchor pins,
clamps, staples, nails and wires. Tools and machin-
ery potentially needed for the job include a tractor,
shovels, cable pullers, hammers, sockets, tampers Reflect and Reassess Operations
and a flatbed trailer.
Post-harvest is also a valuable time to reflect upon
Hop Stock Considerations the past season. Jot down a few notes about prob-
lem areas in the hop field or general operations
To prepare for the growing season ahead, start to address anything related to nutrients, pests or
browsing different hops and the pricing from sev- other issues for next season.
eral competitors. This way, hop growers can learn
about new varieties, the care they require and their With the craft brewery scene continuing to
general characteristics and benefits. expand worldwide, now is an exciting time to be
a hop grower and be such an integral part of the
Contract Review Considerations craft beverage industry.

On the administrative side, early fall is an ideal
time to review current contract options with
trusted suppliers to secure high-quality hops for
many years to come. Work on establishing good
long-term relationships with suppliers and other
relevant companies while reevaluating hop needs
and plans for the future. Compare the cost options,
and look into getting a private pesticide license if
needed. Such a permit may be required in some

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