#30: Pivot!
Hop yards, just like any business, come with constant decisions to be made. Left or right? Up or down? This week we discuss pivot points as your business grows, shrinks and takes some left turns.
Tag: hopnology
#28: Harvesters! Plus…Pumpkin Beer
We finally arrive at one of our most-asked about topics: hop harvesters. How do they work, what should you look for when buying one and how to troubleshoot. We start off however with Gregg venting about pumpkin(less) beer when it’s still @#$#ing summer outside. Disclaimer: While you might hear us talking about Wolf harvesters as […]
#27: James’ Favorite Hopyard Tools
The right tool for the right job. This week we talk about everyday implements that you should have in your hopyard. Tools that change the way you approach farm management and make you ask “why didn’t we do this sooner”?
#26: Attending Beer Festivals
Ah, the beer festival. All of your potential customers are there at once and ready for you to hit them up for sales, right? So, so wrong. This week we share stories of past beer festivals, including how to make the most of them while keeping your expectations in check. Plus, listener questions!
#25: State of the Craft Beer Market
This week we put down the farm implements and open up last month’s New Brewer publication from the Brewer’s Association. We pick apart the numbers around the growth and decline of various segments of the industry, changing consumer tastes, the overload of choices in the beer aisle and “misguided people who want their juicys”.
#24: Hop Harvest!
Tales from the hop yard as we walk through the when, how and why of harvesting. We talk about hand harvesting (here’s a hint: don’t), how to engage local artists in your waste material and why you should make friends with retired machinists.
#22: Pre-Harvest Hop Yard Logistics
It’s almost harvest time for your hop yard. Are you ready? As you shepherd your crop through the final weeks, getting your harvest process dialed in is a step that you can’t ignore. Whether it’s labor scheduling, equipment testing, appropriate pre-harvest intervals or stocking the beer fridge, we’ve got you covered with a checklist to […]
#21: Flash Cards in the Hop Yard
We’re going back to school! Gregg presents James with a series of problems in the hop yard during a virtual walk-through of nutrient deficiencies, pest infestations and general issues in an imaginary hop yard that hopefully doesn’t look like yours.
#20: Dryer Mechanics with Dan
So….he’s back. If you enjoyed our first conversation with Dan Dettmers about hop drying you’ll love this one. If you didn’t, well…I’m not sure what to say. Dan takes his shoes off and we get more specific about dryer designs including a discussions on bed depth, pressure drop and using concrete blocks as air filters.
#19: Pre-Harvest Marketing & Sales
The bines are climbing, sidearms reaching, cones starting to burr. It looks like a hop yard! But what’s that lingering tickle at the back of your brain? Perhaps it’s the question of whether your hops have a home after harvest. This week we take a step out of the dirt and back into the business […]