Hops Variety Evaluation
PCDF
To evaluate varieties of hops for production on the Prairies.
The average yield for hops varieties are shown in report. Wet weights are for freshly harvested
material, and dry weights are after the harvest material was left on air. The large differences in yield are
due to differences in plant performance and wind damage. PDCF will continue the evaluation in 2021.
Production of hops is of interest in Manitoba. This is especially true as interest in Winnipeg and other
cities surrounding locally sourced grains and hops for their craft brews continues to grow. Hops provide
alternatives for smaller acreage owners. Different varieties possess different fragrances and qualities
that affect the beers and other beverages produced from them. Equipment for planting and harvesting
are available. An August 2018 article in the Manitoba Cooperator describes how hops growers received
funding through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) for harvesting equipment.
A mature hops plant will quickly grow up to 20 feet in length, and an important working to get them
properly strung up can provide for very busy work in the first part of the growing season. Once
harvested, they are pressed into pellets, which are the preferred form for brewers. Some growers are
looking at providing this service for other growers and others have devised their own means of
producing pellets. The size of the operation will determine the best method for individual growers.
Infrastructure came into place toward the end of the season for the hops to grow upward in their
characteristic manner. The summer of 2020 represented the first year that PCDF has harvested hops
from these now well-established vines. The hops were not tested for flavour compounds at a lab, but
plans have been made to test the material in 2021.