September 10, 2018: PNW Crop Report

Cool, but dry weather across the Pacific Northwest has contributed to excellent ripening and harvest conditions.  Alpha analyses on early picked aroma hops appear to be down slightly from long-term averages.  This trend does not correlate necessarily with alpha analyses on later-picked alpha hops, so it remains to be seen whether analyses on alpha hops will deviate from the normal levels.

In Idaho, early picked Chinook yields are excellent and the quality of hops picked to date is good.  Most Idaho Simcoe® growers were disappointed in yields.  The Citra® crop looks good with harvest just beginning.  Yields should be good for CTZ with some concern for mite pressure.

Oregon Cascade yields are coming in above average and quality is good.  Willamette yields were also higher than anticipated and the Nugget crop looks good.  Simcoe® quality was excellent and it appears that the Citra® crop looks exceptional in most yards.

There are reports of disappointing Centennial yields in Washington and also on early-trained Cascades.  A few growers are starting to pick Mosaic® and overall, the yields look to be slightly below average.  While there is some scattered mite pressure, overall the quality looks excellent.   Citra® harvest begins this week and most growers are optimistic for good yields.

We are nearing the half way point of harvest and if the weather cooperates, we should have a good quality crop with about the same quantity of hops that were produced last year.  We will be back next week with another report.