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Ohio brewing and hop production FAQ’s

What do Ohio brewers produce in a year? 
Ten years ago, you could count all the Ohio’s breweries on your fingers and toes! Today, 153 licensed breweries produce an estimated 1,097,955 barrels of craft beer annually.
 
How much money do Ohio brewers spend to purchase hops out-of-state? 
At 4 pounds per barrel, Ohio breweries require an estimated 4,000,000 pounds of dried hops annually, worth an estimated $30 million. To meet current demands, an estimated 6,000 acres of hops are required by Ohio craft brewers at current use rates. 
 
How many growers produce Ohio hops? 
In 2012 it is estimated that 10 commercial growers were managing hop yards; this has grown to 60 in 2015. In 2012 Ohio had 15 acres of commercial production; this has grown to 120 acres today.
 
How much does it cost to install an acre of hops? 
Establishing a hop yard will cost $20,000 to $25,000 per acre depending on whether a grower selects rhizomes or plants. This does not include land costs. 
 
What is the value of an acre of harvested hop cones? 
Yield and price per acre depend on quality, variety and buyer. Wet hops are used for seasonal brewing and have a premium value. On average an acre will produce 3,000 pounds of wet hops valued at $25 per pound = $75,000 per acre. One acre will produce an average of 600 pounds of dry hops, valued at $30 per pound = $18,000.  
 
Are Ohio growers working together to move the industry forward? 
Yes! The Ohio Hops Consortium was formed in 2014 and currently 48 growers are active members. The OSU Hops Research Program was actively involved in the formation of the consortium and also provides “first Friday” hop yard tours, summer field nights and a 2-day winter workshop. In 2013, 300 growers attended the winter workshop, this increased to 420 in 2014! 
 
 
 
Prepared by the OSU Hops Research Team: Brad Bergefurd, Mary Gardiner, Chelsea Smith, and Thom Harker