ralph’s world of hops - homebrew con · 2010. 11. 5. · 7/24/2009 1 ralph’s world of hops...
TRANSCRIPT
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Ralph’s World of Hops
Ralph OlsonHopunion LLC203 Division St.
Yakima, WA 98902
Overview of what is to be covered
• Brief History Hopunion• Brief History Hopunion• Commercial Growing • Receiving at the warehouse• Hop Fires• Market Today and Tomorrow and the affectMarket Today and Tomorrow and the affect
to the home-brewer• Open Discussion
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Hop Business
Commercial Production
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Hop Basics•Typical Field Setup:
•Trellis 18’ highPlant spacing at 3 5’ x 14’ or 7’ x 7’•Plant spacing at 3.5’ x 14’ or 7’ x 7’.
•Result is 889 plants per acre•Anchored twine is used to support plant growth.•40,000 acres = 270,000 miles twine
•The vine wraps clockwise around string.The vine wraps clockwise around string.•Rapid growth: The hop plant will grow a foot or more a day under ideal conditions. 18-25’ in a season.•Perennial-Can live for many years.
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• Hops need lots of love and care!
Farming during the growing season
• Powdery mildewPowdery mildew• Downey mildew• Spider mites• Aphids• Worms• Weather- hot, cold, rain, hail, wind• Others-viruses, viroids, nematodes, and it goes on.• Where grown can have different problems.
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Testing-Weekly
• Scouts looking at disease and insects• Scouts looking at disease and insects • Water specialists• Tissue samples collected
• Main point-Farmers don’t want to overdueMain point-Farmers don t want to overdue anything as it does have a cost and can hurt the plant
Drip Irrigation
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Hop Harvest
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Harvesting Hops
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Dribble Belt
Empty Kiln
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Cooling
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Heading to the Baler
Baling
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Inspection at Warehouse
Testing for moisturemoisture with a tryerand meter
Inspection at Warehouse cont.
Evaluating a tryer sample
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Inspection at Warehouse cont.
Testing for moisture with a meter
Inspection at Warehouse cont.
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Inspection at Warehouse cont.
Chemical analysis
Inspection at Warehouse cont.
Weighing hop bales
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Fire caused by spontaneous combustion
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Warehouse fire 10/2/2006
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Aftermath of a warehouse fire
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Market Today and Tomorrow
Discussion Points
• Did anyone see shortage coming?Did anyone see shortage coming?• How did shortage come about.• What are the effects on Hi @ VS Aroma• What is being done to reduce the problem• Hops aren’t available and then they are.
Wh ?Why?• Why is the price so high• What does the future hold?
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Thank you!!WWW.Hopunion.Com