Notes from Flying Dog’s Northeast Hop Selection

In the United States, the word “hops” has come to be synonymous with “West Coast,” and not without reason: 98% of the 39,272 acres grown are located in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.  While the Northwest will remain the primary American growing region for years to come, brewers and drinkers around the country are clamoring for more local hops, and hop farmers are scrambling to meet that demand. 

To that end, Flying Dog and the Northeast Hop Alliance (NeHA) recently invited regional breweries and hop growers up to Frederick for the Northeast Hop Selection.  Brewers were tasked with impartially evaluating locally grown hops so that growers could make adjustments based on constructive, expert feedback.  From the blind analysis to the sensory evaluation forms, the entire day was structured as a scaled-down Yakima [Washington State hop growing region] hop rub.

Things kicked off, as they so often do, with beer and chit chat.  Brewers and farmers from across the region shot the breeze as the