In the niche world of hops, the American Hop Convention is a longstanding event for folks in the industry. This year’s gathering is in sunny San Diego — a perfect backdrop for craft beer. Each January, growers, merchants, and brewers come together to share market updates, learn from cutting-edge research, and, of course, enjoy collaboration beers.
CLS Farms is hosting an event celebrating hops with friends at Blind Lady Ale House on Tuesday, January 21st from 5 to 9 PM. Thank you, to all the brewers who provided beers and to BLAH for hosting us!
A Family Event
With fewer than 70 hop growers in the U.S., most based in the Pacific Northwest, the Convention has become more than an industry event — it’s also a family tradition. Winter is downtime for these generational farms, making it the ideal season for a working vacation. The agenda often includes family-friendly outings.
Past Conventions in places like Tampa, Dallas, and now San Diego reflect grower love for warm-themed destinations.
What Really Happens at the Convention?
Just like the hotel bar (which always underestimates our capacity – sorry Santa Rosa!), the week is packed with various sessions. The Hop Research Council hosts its annual winter meeting with updates on issues like disease mitigation and risk, agronomy, and hop quality, as well as progress on new public hop varieties. Though not part of the official Convention programming, it's still well-attended and a great opportunity to learn about the latest research.
Wednesday marks the official start, featuring the Hoppy Hour, where new hop varieties are showcased in collaboration beers. This year, we’re excited to present a reimagined classic, Brewers Gold, in a beer by Russian River Brewing.
Highlights also include a Welcome Event at Stone Brewing, a gathering on the USS Midway, and presentations on key topics like MRLs, market trends, AI, and biodiversity. The week concludes with the Merchant Panel, where leading hop distributors provide insights on the past year and what’s ahead for the market.
Two competitions, the Hop Quality Group Cascade Cup and the HRC Hop Nose It All, challenge growers and brewers in unique ways. In the Cascade Cup, growers submit their best Cascade lot for evaluation and scoring. The Hop Nose It All, introduced recently, tests attendees' sensory skills and hop knowledge as they identify 8 to 10 varieties in a blind evaluation. The Winner takes home a giant nose!
Why It Matters
The American Hop Convention is more than a week of education and networking — it’s a vital touchpoint for the industry. It’s where growers, merchants, and brewers connect, prepare for the year ahead, and share a beer together.
Have comments or questions? Email Claire Desmarais at claire@clsfarms.com.
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