Hops Resources

Even though the Hops Program is no longer an active part of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, valuable resources were developed during its presence.

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The growing thirst for local foods and beverages has increased brewing with local hops. As a result, there is an increase in planting more hop fields. Hops provide bitterness to balance the sweetness of malt sugars in beer. The hop cone can contain floral and citrus flavors that really capture the aromas that craft brewers look for. This consumer driven ‘local’ movement has hop farmers trying to meet the demand by erecting 18 foot trellises and planting more hops. Today’s planting, growing, and harvesting methods require more investment than the 1890s. The Hops Program, which is no longer active, was created to provide support to the growers through web resources, field meetings, newsletters, individual consultations and an annual conference. This support was made possible by grants from USDA/NYS Ag & Markets Specialty Crops Block Grant, New York Farm Viability Institute Grant, and Brewery Ommegang.

For more information on growing hops, please visit the Growing Hops at Home page.

You can also find answers to many questions on this website.  Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.

Additional information can be found by visiting the Northeast Hop Alliance website as well.  

Last updated November 24, 2019