Buying Your Hops
Purchasing hop rhizomes over the internet has become extremely easy over the past few years, with a range of companies now offering single rhizomes for very little cost (Usually under $5). All you need to do is find a company that distributes the plant and place an order online. I have yet to read a bad review about any companies out there, so it seems as though your purchase will be simply a matter of preference. But I do suggest that you consider shipping times when you decide on who you will be purchasing from. If your hops are in transit for an extended period of time, there is a greater chance that they could dry out. You want to try to minimize the time that your hops are in an exposed environment where you cannot control the temperature and moisture levels that they are exposed to. Before your hops are planted, rhizome care is important. Because of this you will want to consider choosing a distributor that is either located more closely to you, or choose a method of shipping that will get the hops to your door quickly.
Here is a quick list of suggested rhizome distributors:
- www.breworganic.com
- www.homebrewing.org
- www.freshops.com
- www.highhops.net
- www.hopsdirect.com
- www.thymegarden.com
- www.willamettevalleyhops.com
The only distributor that I have personal experience with is Freshops.com, and would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to buy hops. Their purchase was quick and easy, and because of my location, they upgraded my shipping for free to make sure my hops arrived healthy. So a tip of my hat to Dave over at freshops for the outstanding customer service.
Some of you may be lucky enough to know someone who is already growing a healthy crop of hops. If this is the case, ask them if they could propagate you a batch of rhizomes from their growing season for you to use in the spring. Most growers will be more than happy to grow you your own rhizomes for little to no cost. The best part is that you know these hops can strive in your region, and the overall time that the rhizomes are out of the ground will be next to nothing, with only a quick transplant required. It is always a great idea to establish relationships with the other growers in your area. It will be useful to have an extra resource, or someone to trade varieties with down the road.
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