Hops

[NYSBrewer]

I cant help but notice all the posts popping up for people who have hops to sell. Six months ago, we all were panicking over a hop shortage. I myself overbought and have a hop surplus. Did we create this shortage by everyone overbuying? Did the suppliers make us all think we were running out of hops, to then lock us in to extended contracts, which I myself have done? Does anyone out there still need hops? What is going on here?

[Øl-sheik]

It sure seems odd, what happend there. I recently asked my supplier for a quote for german hops. He had some left from harvest 2006, which i bought last year, only now its is one third of the price. I don´t know if I should fell happy about it or pissed off. They certainly played us, I myself did not overbye and have no contract, since i bye from 3 different hop merchants and have about 12 varieties on stock, which vary.

At least the merchants over here holded back the hops for quite some weeks before shipping and wouldn´t give you any prices for a long time, so I guess they added fuel to the fire. I have seen the same with barley farmers here in Europe, which stock the barley and didn´t deliver to the malsters, aware that this artificial shortage will increase their income per ton. But who am I kiddin, I guess I would do the same as a clever merchant.

[mkunce]

Hop Myth

In the US, the lack of competition in the direct wholesale hop sector for small craft breweries is the root to the high prices. Trading and selling on this board is the result of market forces at work. My praise to the administrators of ProBrewer Interactive!