Jim Koch, founder of the Boston Beer Co. — makers of Samuel Adams — announced yesterday that he had a VERY BIG Valentines Day present for small breweries around the country. He told the members of the Brewers Association that Boston Beer will sell 20,000 pounds of hops that otherwise — due to rationing and market share as a result of the shortage — would not be available to said smaller breweries. In addition, the company will sell the hops at cost, which is considerably less than they would bring on the open market. According to John Foyston at The Oregonian,
The brewery will sell 10,000 pounds of East Kent Goldings from Great Britain and 10,000 pounds of Tettnang Tettnanger from small farms in the Tettnang region in Germany. Both are “aroma hops,” horribly under appreciated and the kind being dissed by brewers chasing alpha, but at the same time becoming crazily expensive.
Also, Koch assured the breweries that he would limit the total sale of hops to any one brewer, so everyone can have an equal crack at the brewery’s excess supply. Koch explained in a post in the Brewers Association forum,
“The purpose of doing this is to get some hops to the brewers who really need them. So if you don’t really need them, please don’t order them… And don’t order them just because we’re making them available at a price way below market. Order them because you need these hops to make your beer. We’re not asking questions, so let your conscience be your guide.”
I’m sure it was indeed a very happy Valentine’s Day for small craft brewers across the country. It’s great to see this sort of support and kindness in a time of increasing need; well done, Jim. Need to get yours? Click here to visit the Sam Adams Hop Sharing Program.
“Boston Brewing Sells Ten Tons of Hops to Hop-Starved Small Brewers” [Oregon Live]
[tags]hops, Samuel Adams, beer, Boston Beer Co, Jim Koch, Brewers Association[/tags]
