TRAVERSE CITY -- There may soon be a new crop showing up in farmer's fields and backyard gardens throughout northern Michigan -- hops.
If the overwhelming response to a sustainable hop production workshop planned by the Michigan State University Extension is any indication, the hardy perennial and essential ingredient in beer, may be a breakout commodity.
"We have had three to four times the number of people register than what we had anticipated," said Leelanau County Extension director, Dr. Rob Sirrine, who coordinated the workshop sponsored by The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.
"We have people coming from all over the state, from Colorado and Canada," said Sirrine, noting that even after changing venues, the Dec. 17 workshop is sold-out.
A national hop shortage is one reason for the new found interest in growing the crop that is in high demand by brewers across the country. In 1997 there were nearly 45,000 acres of hops grown in the U.S., while only 31,000 acres were devoted to the crop last year, according to the Michigan State University Extension office.
"Growers are only putting in the higher yielding varieties and big companies are buying up the supply," said Sirrine, who sees local growers being able to fill a need for the diverse assortment of hops desired by home and specialty brewers.
Russell Springsteen, owner of Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City, welcomes the prospect of buying the ingredient that gives beer its characteristic bitterness, from local growers.
"We are at the very bottom of the pecking list for buying hops and we get what is left over," said Springsteen, who hopes to be using up to 80 percent locally grown hops within three years.
"Having a bigger variety of hops is like a cook having more spices in his cupboard," said Springsteen, who also uses local products including honey and pumpkin in some favorite recipes.
Local hops were the key ingredient in Right Brain's Grahamercy Ale, the area's first 100 percent local hop beer brewed since Prohibition. Grown by Graham Kelly of Old Mission Peninsula, the aromatic hops were the first crop harvested by the Old Mission Hops Exchange in September.
"We used hops that were harvested by hand and used fresh, giving the product much more complexity," said Right Brain's brew master, John Niedermaier, who helped Kelly and fellow Old Mission Hops Exchange farmers, Rob Manigold and Steve Sobkowski, pick their first crop from the rapid growing vines raised on trellises made from telephone poles.
The partners, who each planted an acre this year after hearing about the shortage, plan to plant 10 to 11 acres next spring.
"This is a very good crop for here. We can plant hops in low areas where you couldn't grow cherries or grapes, but hops take to the marginal land and thrive," said Sobkowski, noting that he had an idea hops would do well because wild hops have been growing in front of his centennial farm house for years.
Brian and Amy Tennis, of New Mission Organics in Omena, are hoping that hops will thrive in their side of the bay as well.
"We were looking to expand our products and had heard friends complaining about not having enough hops and that what was available was very expensive, so we decided why not try planting some ourselves," said Brian, who looks forward to attending the hops production workshop.
"Eight acres are set aside with two acres to be planted in the spring," he said.
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