Growing and harvesting hops for craft brewing in Wisconsin

With hop harvesting season passing in late August and early September, we’d thought we’d take this Friday to reflect on the growing and reaping of the plant we sometimes call Humulus lupulus. The above video is about renewed efforts to grow hops in Wisconsin. Did you know that in the 1860s, Wisconsin produced 75 percent of the nation’s hops? It was a golden age of hops for the Great Lakes region — specifically for a state that has long been associated with beer.

Wisconsin’s unique soil, climate, weather and abundance of fresh water make it an ideal location for a full spectrum of hop farmers. The participants in the particular video above include Wisconsin hop experts like Simple Earth Hops and folks from the Wisconsin Hop Exchange, Gorst Valley Hops, Grumpy Troll Brewery and Vintage Brewing Co. This short story goes from the roots (rhizomes) to the 30-ft plants filled with bitter bud that are processed and distributed to craft brewers for making craft beer. Watch it and learn something: Like how hop plants twist in a clockwise fashion following the sun, but only twist at night (and grow during the day). Learn more above.