Crosby Hops launches new brand family and open-air beer garden on its Oregon farm

The hop harvest is on the horizon, and Crosby Hops is offering a unique way to enjoy it this summer and fall. The fifth generation hop farm in Woodburn, Ore., is opening its TopWire Hop Project — an outdoor beer garden surrounded by a lush field of Centennial hops, situated on its 600-acre farm. I’ve visited Crosby Hop Farm during the hop harvest, and it is definitely a great way to enjoy beer, soak up brewing culture and bask in Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley. TopWire Hop Project opens today (July 24, 2020).

Crosby Hops overall is expanding. The hop farmer, merchant and processor that supplies craft brewers and beyond — icons from Sierra Nevada to Rhinegeist — recently announced a new overarching brand family reshuffle that now includes Crosby Hops, Crosby Hop Farm and Top Wire Hop Project. All three businesses are rooted in five generations of hop farming that began with Albert and Mary Crosby in 1900. Today the Salmon-Safe and GlobalG.A.P. certified grower is synonymous with quality hops tailored to craft beer. From the press release:

Blake Crosby, CEO of the family of businesses said, “Having grown up on the farm and seeing our connection to craft brewers grow over the years, it’s exciting to launch this new chapter that ties our values and vision together cohesively. As we look to the future, now is the right time to rearticulate our purpose and celebrate each of our core areas of focus.” He continued, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to highlight what each business unit brings to the table whether it is growing, processing and sourcing hops, or hosting our brewing industry friends and consumers at TopWire. This is truly a story of how we are all interconnected. I am honored to lead a team that is relentlessly focused on delivering unique value while continuing to be changemakers in the evolving craft beer industry.”

Crosby brand family facts:

Crosby Hops

• Established in 2012 as an integrated hop processor and merchant offering more than 50 varieties sourced from around the world.
• Parent company of newly established Crosby Hops Europe based in the Netherlands.
• A Certified B Corporation, it was recognized in 2019 as a Best for The World: Changemaker in recognition of its significant improvement to its overall impact on workers, communities, the environment, and family/corporate governance.
• Deeply connected global supply chain and hop sourcing from like-minded independent growers and partners.
• A newly launched website and customer portal offers the ability to place and track orders, manage contracts, view real-time spot hop availability, access account details and view and pay invoices.

Crosby Hop Farm

• Fifth generation hop farm established in 1900 by Albert and Mary Crosby.
• Salmon-Safe and GlobalG.A.P. certified grower.
• Crosby Hop Farm is a key grower partner and pillar of Crosby Hops supply chain.
• Six hundred acres of 11 distinctive estate grown varieties.
• Consistent with its spirit of innovation, Crosby Hop Farm was the first hop farm in Oregon to commercially grow Amarillo, Idaho 7, Comet, El Dorado, Belma, and Zappa.
• An on-farm hop breeding program was established in 2017 to develop cultivars well suited to the climate of the Willamette Valley.

TopWire Hop Project

• The open-air beer garden opens July 24.
• To arrive at the beautiful outdoor bar, drive down Lupulin Lane (a half-mile entrance through lush 18-feet high hop rows). It is perfectly positioned in the Centennial hop yard, offering a glimpse of Mt. Hood.
• TopWire is a pillar of the Crosby brand family, which works symbiotically with Crosby’s R&D and new variety development efforts.
• The rotating tap list (10 taps) will feature specialty craft beer, cider and sparkling water brewed by Crosby Hops’ customers from across the country.
• Beverages can be enjoyed on premise or to-go in 16 oz. cans.
• A regular rotation of hard to find, experimental, and collaboration beers from around the country.

In addition to signage that will visually remind patrons to stay one hop row apart, respect the beer, hops and each other, management is implementing extra COVID-19 protocols. Details are available at: https://www.topwirehp.com.