Stats and More

Anecdotally, we all know that brewers use more hops today than they have in years past. But does the data bear that out? Yes. The Brewers Association surveys craft brewers every year to gauge their use of hops, and the average number of pounds of hops used per barrel of beer produced by craft brewers has climbed every year, from 0.95 pounds per barrel in 2008 to 1.54 pounds per barrel in 2016. At the same time, the variety of different hops brewers use has also been climbing, from ninety varieties in 2008 to 146 different varieties in 2017. Beer drinkers and brewers clearly have an ever-growing appetite for hops.