UF IFAS GCREC Hops

08/31/2026

𝗕𝗟🌸🌸𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚!

We turned off our supplemental LED lighting about two weeks ago, allowing the plants to transition from vegetative growth to reproductive development. Now, the plants are loaded with flowers, and some are already developing into young hop cones.!🤩

08/22/2026

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 - 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟱𝟵 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲)

Bines grew quickly and began developing lateral branches. At this stage, plants are ready for flowering induction. Within a few days, we will discontinue photoperiod extension with supplemental LED lighting, shortening daylength to trigger flowering.

https://youtu.be/N4saPUT_6Is

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4qrjj3jZ6i57aJHMbAgccdHDleJ4TZ4f

August 10, 2026 - Day 59 in Fall 2026The bines grew quickly and be...

08/17/2026

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 - 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟰 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲)

Another belated update from our hopyard - we're catching up! 😅

Following harvest, remaining bines were pruned back and mulched to prepare for the next production cycle. New bines are now growing vigorously and have already reached about 6 ft (1.8 m) in height!

https://youtu.be/Nl9rr9LXuSY

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4qrjj3jZ6i57aJHMbAgccdHDleJ4TZ4f

July 16, 2026 - Day 34 in Fall 2026Following harvest, remaining bi...

08/15/2026

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 - 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟭𝟱 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲)

A belated update from our June hopyard walkthrough!

Our spring harvest ran from May 27 to June 12. Hop bines were cut down from the trellis, transported to the harvester, and processed to separate the fresh cones from the bines. The hopyard is ready to begin its next growth cycle!

https://youtu.be/qJ7njFs7ISU

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4qrjj3jZ6i57aJHMbAgccdHDleJ4TZ4f

June 12, 2026 - Day 115 in Spring 2026Our spring harvest ran from ...

08/02/2026

We enjoyed the Florida Brewers Conference held in Jacksonville on July 27–29! Thanks to the organizers for a fantastic event and to everyone who visited our booth. Go Florida beer and Gator hops!!! 🍻🌿

06/13/2026

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 - 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟳𝟴 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲)

A belated update from our May hopyard walkthrough!

By mid-April, hop bines had reached the top of the 18-ft trellis. On April 17, we discontinued supplemental LED lighting used for daylength extension to induce flowering. The plants began flowering within five days, and the flowers quickly transformed into cones!

https://youtu.be/w4n6vRgFOMk

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4qrjj3jZ6i57aJHMbAgccdHDleJ4TZ4f

May 6, 2026 - Day 78 in Spring 2026Hop bines have reached the top ...

06/11/2026

Our Florida hops program was recently featured by UF/IFAS News, highlighting our recent Hops Field Day and the progress we've made together with growers, brewers, and industry partners!

To date, more than 𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗿🍺 have been brewed by Florida craft breweries using our hops. We receive direct feedback on aroma, flavor, and brewing performance, which helps guide our research and the selection of potential new Florida-adapted hop cultivars.

Read the full article here:
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2026/06/10/florida-hops-research-offers-a-bright-spot-as-craft-beer-market-slows/

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 Despite a recent softening in demand for craft beer, University of Florida experts say there’s reason for optimism – especially as researchers supply Florida-grown hops to the state’s brewers. At the June 2 Hops Field Day at the ...

06/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2026 Florida Hops Field Day! 🍻🌿 Special thanks to our brewer panelists, sponsors, and all attendees for making this event a success!

Check out the highlights below!

05/29/2026

This is the second step of hop harvest! Harvested plants are transferred to a hop harvester, which strips the cones from the stems and separates them from the leaves.

What happens next? The harvested cones will be dried, ground, and pelletized for storage and brewing. We'll share another video soon showing these postharvest processing steps!

Interested in seeing the harvest process in person? Join us for our Hops Field Day on Tuesday, June 2: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hops-field-day-spring-2026-tickets-1989414307748

We look forward to seeing you there!

05/28/2026

Hop harvest season has started in Florida! 🌿🤩

Harvesting hops is a two-step process. First, the entire hop plants are harvested in the field by pulling down the twines. Next, the harvested plants are transferred to a hop harvester, where the cones are separated from the bines.

This video shows the first step of the harvest process - pulling down plants from the trellis. We’ll share another video tomorrow showing the second step and how the hop harvester works!

Interested in seeing the harvest process in person? Join us for our Hops Field Day on Tuesday, June 2:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hops-field-day-spring-2026-tickets-1989414307748

We look forward to seeing you there!