The best thing about growing hops is the people. Working 18 feet off the ground in high winds also has its moments, but the best thing is definitely meeting the community of people interested in beer and brewing.
Most brew beer; some are interested in the social or architectural history of brewing or hop farming. The Albany Ale Project combines both interests. And is now brewing beer with heritage hops from Dutch Barn Farm. We are proud to be a small part of this very cool project.
One premise of the project is that an important part of the history of Albany can be told through the history of Albany beer. In the same way an important part of the history of local farming can be told through the history of farming hops. Just over one hundred years ago the booming brewing industry in Albany was being supplied by a huge local hop growing industry. They mostly grew the cluster variety. Weakened by disease, the hop growing business didn't survive Prohibition. But some hops did. On our farm and on those of some of our upstate neighbors hops from this period survived and can still be found coming back every year in the hedgerows. In 2012, we set up a trellis to enable us to cultivate and harvest this historic variety.
We consider these heritage hops as the ultimate local variety, and were delighted to sell this year's crop to beer historian and blogger Craig Gravina who, with co-conspirator with at the Albany Ale Project Alan McLeod, was looking for authentic historic hops to brew authentic historic beer.
Ryan Demler, brewer at CH Evans Brewing Co. at the Albany Pump Station, has started the brew. We can't wait to try it next month.
