AAB 017: Cultivating Southern Hemisphere Hops

It is autumn in the southern hemisphere which means it is harvest time for hops south of the equator.  This episode of the All About Beer Podcast is all about New Zealand Hops.  Don and Em chat with Brent McGlashen of Mac Hops and Ron Beatson of NZ Hops.

Today, New Zealand hops are known for their tropical, fruity flavors, but it wasn’t always that way.  The McGlashen family itself has been growing hops for five generations and have watched New Zealand hops evolve from a commodity crop that was profitable based purely on maximum output, to the specialized, premium product it is today, highly sought by craft brewers around the world.

Much of that change is the result of hops breeding, which has improved the agronomics of hops, but also taken advantage of New Zealand’s unique soil and climate. Beatson is such a legendary hop breeder, they named a hop after him - Nectaron, but he is also responsible for breeding such legendary hops as Nelson Sauvin, Motueka and Riwaka. Beatson  discusses what makes New Zealand hops unique.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Estrella Galicia
Estrella Galicia is an independent, family-owned brewery  in northwest Spain, founded in 1906.

Estrella Galicia Cerveza Especial is a world class lager, brewed using the finest Spanish malts, locally  cultivated Galician hops and the best brewing practices, in a state-of-the-art facility in A Coruna. Recognized around the world for quality and exceptional character. Estrella Galicia is “A beer like no other.”

• Hosts: Em Sauter and Don Tse
• Guests: Ron Beatson and Brent McGlashen
• Sponsors: Estrella GaliciaAll About Beer
• Tags: Brewing, Hops, New Zealand, Flavors, Farming, Harvest

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Awesome Call by Kevin MacLeod
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3399-awesome-call
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist website: https://incompetech.com