SS Steiner and Barth Haas references

[barleywhiner]

Hello all,
I have received quotes from all of the usual suspects for contracted hops in the upcoming years, and it turns out going with either Barth Haas or SS Steiner for Columbus, Chinook, and Centennial in the upcoming years will save me a couple of salaries worth. I only put it in those terms, because that's where the $$$ will be going and that's how I think of it. That being said, Hop Union has always been good to me and the quality has been great.

For those of you that have used either, what was your experience? Quality, customer service, terms?

Cheers,
Jeff

[BrewinLou]

Steiner has unsustainable pricing IMHO. If we all bought from them it would run all the small farmers out of business and we would get what we had a few years back..Cornered market, and price gouging. I have in the past bought some of my hops from them and some from Hop Union and some from small farmers in the same year. I dropped Steiner a while back and went with small farmers and Hop Union. The price advantage Steiner had was only on a few hops and the farmer offered me pretty competitive pricing and I know who is going to pick up the phone when I call.

[BiteMyLip]

“Sustainable Hop Market”

Joel,

It’s refreshing to see a Brewer who has an understanding of a “Sustainable Hop Market”

Thanks

[Graydon]

Hop Suppliers

I agree that Hop Union is a great company, but the others you have mentioned are also very good companies. I do not know if they are trying to buy into the craft market just that Hop union has been focused on the craft market for many years. If you are worried about getting quality hops from these suppliers don't. They all supply quality products. I would be more worried about witch hops are available in the next two years.


Graydon Brown
509-703-8833

[BrewinLou]

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying anything about the quality of hops from any of the companies above. I am however not happy about the price of one hop I was buying going from $7 to $25 a pound in a few months. Yes the market seems to have stabilized but for how long?