P.E.I. hops farming a growing industry

Prince Edward Island's hops farming industry is growing by leaps and bounds.

While there are a few small scale growers on the Island, there is one commercial farm just outside Stratford.

Wade and Glen Beaton, a father and son team, started growing hops three years ago at My Father's Farm. They now have close to 4,000 plants and 13 varieties of hops.

They sell to brewers in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, but aren't yet able to sell to local P.E.I. beer makers.

"Most of our product is going off the Island to breweries in Halifax and Fredericton," Wade Beaton said.

The Beatons would like to sell locally, but don't have the drying equipment needed. Most of their hops are used fresh and called "wet hops." They are added to the brew within hours of being picked.

Most Island brewers prefer to work with dried hops in pellet form. Spencer Gallant of the P.E.I. Brewing Co. says it's more convenient, but he recognizes the challenges for farmers.

"Pelletizing hops is ideal because you can store them easier, ship them easier," he said.

"Pelletizers are super expensive so that's why there aren't any right now, so as the hop industry grows on the Island, it's maybe something we could look at in the future is getting a pelletizer and farmers can kind of make a co-op and go in on that."

P.E.I. has great climate

The Federation of Agriculture says there is a growing interest in farming hops and P.E.I. has a great climate for it.

Beaton hopes as more farmers enter the field, they can work together to create a better product.

"As more farmers come into the market, then you're able to blend from different areas." he explained.

"With the pelleting process that we're looking at, we would be able to bring hops from the east end of the island or the west end of the island, blend them in, and come up with a more consistent product."

The Beatons built a processor over the summer and plan to expand next year.

"It won't be until next year that we're actually doing something on a more industrial level," Beaton said. "We'll be pelleting next year, which will give us more, a longer storage period."

More locally grown hops, ready to use, is good news for Gallant.

"Ideally, as many local ingredients as you can get your hands on is the best for our beer here," he said.

Some of the hops on My Father's Farm will be harvested in the next two weeks, with that beer on store shelves by October.