Williamsburg, MI, USA, October 13th, 2020

MI Local Hops Harvest Success & New Asia Distribution Agreements

MI Local Hops, the largest US hop farm east of the Rocky Mountains, completed another successful hop harvest in 2020.

MI Local Hops farm, located near beautiful Lake Michigan, finished up its 2020 hop harvest in early September. The farm reported the weather was fantastic throughout this growing season. The conditions were dry with the occasional rain however it was an ideal growing season overall.

This year’s harvest featured 13 varieties which are noted for their distinct differences with other regions. For instance, the popular Michigan Chinook which has less piney characteristics than its Pacific Northwest relative, was popping its distinct Pineapple aroma.

The proprietary Michigan Copper, had its strong hard red candy and stone fruit aroma on display during sensory sessions and showed nice yields. MI Local Hops is the largest grower of the Michigan Copper which is quickly growing in demand.

A new addition to the crop over the past few years, the Mackinac, has matured nicely and also displayed quality yields. Mackinac, named after the popular Mackinac Island area, packs a robust tropical papaya punch with unique floral & peppery undertones that work pleasantly with a wide range of popular beer styles.

New Release: Mackinac Hops with a Robust Tropical Papaya Burst

Covid-19 Challenges

After the early months of the global pandemic, bouncing back was the name of the game in mid-2020. Michigan domestic hop sales saw a decline of 30-50 percent as the COVID-19 global pandemic slowed or shut down breweries across the craft beer industry.

Brewers resorted to using older stock and sticking to their core beer production just to survive. August and September sales started to pick up as MI Local Hops heads towards pelletizing the 2020 crop in mid-October.

New Distribution Agreements in Asia

Sales have remained strong in Asia thanks in part to new distribution agreements in place. MI Local Hops Asia, located in South Korea, has continued to be a hub for sales across the region.

With new distribution partnerships in China, Japan, and Vietnam, MI Local Hops Asia looks to bring more unique Michigan grown hops from their farm to your kettle.

For more information about MI Local Hops Asia, please contact Dan Brown at [email protected].