Hops shortage? What hops shortage?

This from the Monthly Mash, a regular dispatch from Avery Brewing in Boulder, Colo:

As most of you have probably heard by now, the craft beer industry has been hard hit by a global hop shortage this year. The chronic oversupply that characterized the hop market for the 90’s and much of this decade is officially gone, taking with it the low hop prices that microbreweries like Avery have enjoyed for so many years. For most breweries 2008 will be a year of compromise. Brewers will have to tackle the undesirable task of tinkering with their most prized recipes to try and figure out how to get the same flavors using fewer hops.

While some observers may posit that the hop shortage is a good thing, forcing brewers to become more efficient and prudent with their use of hops, we at Avery tend to disagree. Hops are the heart and soul of our beers and we refuse to compromise our recipes or our flavors. Even more, as if to scoff in the face of common sense and basic brewery economics, we decided to increase the hops that were added to this years New World Porter. The 2008 batch is truly a black IPA.

The beer debuts in just two hours at the Avery Tasting Room. Alas, it’s more than a seven-hour drive from here.

3 thoughts on “Hops shortage? What hops shortage?”

  1. I am glad to hear that Avery isn’t going to cut their hops down! I love Avery’s Brews, and the hops are why. I just hope that this hop shortage gets under control, maybe they will learn some new techniques in growing them? Anything, just keep my beer hoppy! (maybe get them from AB, they don’t use them anyway!

  2. Avery uses a ton of Bullion…so…it’s not surprising they’re not short on them. Does anyone else in the US even use that hop anymore?

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