Fat Head’s Brewery hands out hops plants, grows public interest

The growth of popularity in local hops farming has been strong this year, but Fat Head’s Brewery in North Olmsted, Ohio, is putting a new twist on the home-grown craft. The brewery is giving away 50 potted hops plants — for free — in hopes that the public will raise the crop that will be used to wet-hop a new IPA, Hopportunity Knocks.

The Ohio Beer Blog reported that the brewery will provide hops care instructions and ask growers to harvest the plant later this year to make fresh beer. From the Ohio Beer Blog:

The “hop farmers” will get an exclusive invitation to taste the brew when it’s ready. Brewer Matt Cole said the brewpub would like to do a similar beer each year.
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“Hopefully we’ll get some people who really want to do it because they are excited about growing hops and not just excited for a free plant,” he said.

This interesting hops-growing idea comes on the heels of an announcement that the Cleveland Brew Shop plans to convert a vacant city lot into a small-scale hop farm. It’s just another sign of the growing strength of Ohio’s craft beer industry, and its ability to support associated businesses.