As the start of harvest of the 2026 U.S. hop crop nears, here is a brief overview of what is going on in the hop growing region of the Pacific Northwest.
2026 Crop Outlook
After four years of declining acres of hops strung for harvest, 2026 showed only a minor decrease with 41,642 acres strung for harvest, a negligible drop from 2025. Growing conditions have generally been warm and dry with water management presenting the usual challenges. Disease pressures are reported as relatively low. General indications are the crop will be of average quality and yield, although the threat of extreme hot temperature during the remainder of the growing season remains.
Wildfires/Smoke Taint
While there are currently a few small fires in the major hop growing areas, current air quality is generally good. Hop cones seem to be more susceptible to smoke taint at maturity during harvest and during kilning. Forecasts call for a hot and dry end to the growing season for the hop growing regions, so the threat of wildfires and smoke taint remains. If wildfires become an issue, learn to recognize and mitigate smoke taint: Hop Smoke Taint.
Contracting Remains Important for Brewers and Growers
The decrease in acres planted over the past several years has not been evenly distributed across all hop varieties. Potential shortages have been reported in some varieties. We encourage brewers to clearly communicate their needs to growers and merchants and to ensure an adequate supply of hops needed for specific brands. Best practices for contracting hops and other ingredients are available here: Contracting for Brewers: Insights and Best Practices.
Don’t forget to contract for your share of the public hop variety Thora—to be featured in a special category in the 2027 Great American Beer Festival® competition.
Select the Best Lots
Use BA member generated guidance to ensure you are picking the lots that best express the character of your beers. If you cannot make the trip to Yakima, ask your hop merchant if they conduct remote selection.
- Hop Evaluation Guidelines for Brewers
- Hop Selection Guidelines for Brewers
- Remote Hop Selection Guidelines for Brewers
USDA Breeding Program News
With the retirement of long-tenured Dr. John Henning from the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Public Hop Breeding Station in Corvallis, OR, Dr. Kayla Altendorf has relocated from the Prosser station to Corvallis, where she will oversee both breeding stations. In good news, USDA ARS has announced it will backfill the vacated scientist position in Prosser, with interviews slated to begin in October.
Hopsource 2026: Noses Needed!
The Brewers Association’s (BA) annual Hopsource sensory event will take place in Yakima, September 22-24, 2026, at Yakima Valley Hops. Stop by between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time and lend your nose to evaluate new hop varieties!
During this event, brewers and industry professionals visiting Yakima for hop selection will have a chance to assess up to 30 hop varieties. The BA encourages visitors to participate in multiple sessions, as the varieties sampled will change every day and every morning and afternoon. These varieties are currently under consideration for advancement in the USDA ARS Public Hop Breeding Program.
The selection of hops available for assessment this year represents the culmination of diligent work by USDA ARS hop breeder Dr. Kayla Altendorf. The most promising new hop lines will be available for evaluation. The goal of Hopsource is to assess brewer interest in experimental public hop varieties. By bridging the gap between brewers and researchers, the aim is to enrich public hop breeding research and introduce new varieties that resonate with brewers. A recent example of the success of these collaborative efforts was the release of the public hop varieties Vera and Thora in 2025.
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