HOPS IN NEBRASKA?Ever wonder why Czechs have been able to grow some of the best hops in the world? And if Nebraska is said to have a climate so similar to the Czech Republic, then why is this not a boom crop for Nebraska agriculture?
Nebraska has seen a boom in microbreweries, and most likely the hops come from the American northwest where most of the crop is grown in this country. Imported hops are likely to be more expensive. So, can we grow our own?
The East Campus of UNL is certainly investigating this possibility. The Nebraska climate is very different between the east and west of the state. So researchers have picked four locations in Nebraska in addition to the one on the East Campus. They are Norfolk, Hastings and two in Scottsbluff. One of those in Scottsbluff is an extension of UNL, and the other three are all run by local farmers.
There are a number of complicating factors involved with the success of growing hops in Nebraska. Hops enjoy conditions where there is more rain (but not a primary factor), less freezing temperatures and dry summer conditions which produce fewer fungal diseases. Hops growth loves a constant temperature range between 40 and 70 (and not so many of the extremes we have in Nebraska). While rain is nice, hops do better where there are long, sunny days. Rich soil is also a must.
Historically hops growth always did best in between 30 and 55 degrees latitude worldwide. Nebraska is right in the center of that. The Czech Republic is around 50. It should be no surprise that the areas producing the most hops fall within this range (see illustration).
I have read about immigrant Czech farmers (around the Bruno area) who tried growing hops. They did so using land around the railroad tracks. I have also read about using Nebraska hops to make some versions of Nebraska beer. One of those beers was called Skull Creek Pale Ale. Unfortunately, those articles are no longer available online.
While Czechs are famous for their hops, you may not be surprised that Germany produces more, and even more surprised when finding that the United States is the number one producer!
The Saaz hops are some of the more famous. The Saaz region of the Czech Republic produces over 77% of all hops in the country. The other two hop producing areas are Aš/Auscha and Tršice/Tirschitz, both located in the northwest area of the country.
The Saaz (Žatec) hops are world famous for their low alpha acid content, creating a hop that imparts a particular soft or delicate bitterness. Their oil composition creates a clean, deep, herbal aroma. These characteristics are the defining footnote on styles like Bohemian Pilsners.
While there may be a way found to produce hops somewhere in Nebraska, it is doubtful they could ever come close to the same quality as those of the Czechs.
The Czech hops are very similar to those in Germany, yet there is something very special about them and the region where they are grown. The little northern town of Žatec and surrounding hop-growing landscape have just been granted UNESCO World Heritage status! Saaz is the German name for Žatec.
