Hop Harvest Report: August 2018

Hop harvest has begun in the Pacific Northwest with many growers starting in all three states.

Most growers in Oregon have started harvest and are picking what appears to be a good quality crop. Centennial yields are disappointing, but early picked Cascade yields are good. Growers are optimistic about good Simcoe®, Citra®, and Mosaic® yields. Powdery mildew pressure is manageable and mites seem to be under control. Willamette yields are above normal. The Nugget crop also appears to be good with yields expected to be slightly above the five-year average.

In Idaho, early picked Simcoe® yields have been disappointing, but quality is good. The Cascade crop looks decent and CTZ yards, while a few weeks away from harvest, look strong. The hot weather in late July and early August have created some challenges with mite control, but overall quality looks good to excellent.

Early picked varieties in Washington are off a bit, but many growers are still waiting the crop to reach full maturity before starting harvest. Early trained Cascades appear to be off significantly from last year’s yields, but late trained Cascades should pick at or near their five-year average. Quality appears to be good, but mite pressures are building in some areas as the heat and a bushy canopy in some varieties are creating a challenge for some growers. The Citra® crop appears strong overall. Simcoe® yields will be down slightly. Babies are weak in general this year, but the alpha crop will be normal in most areas. Centennial yields are down in general from last year.

The weather the first week of harvest has been cooler but dry, which is a welcome development for hop maturity, mite control, and hop harvest crews. The forecast for the next 10 days is dry and cooler than normal with temperatures in the upper 70’s to lower 80’s F.

We will post weekly updates as the 2018 hop harvest in the PNW develops. Stay tuned.