Behind every great beer is a great hop—and behind every great hop is a dedicated grower. Each year, Haas, a world leader in hop innovation, recognizes the exceptional craftsmanship and stewardship of hop farmers through its annual Grower Quality Awards. These awards spotlight the farms producing the best-of-the-best hops straight from the field, with a special focus on freshness, consistency, and true-to-type quality.
A Field-Focused Evaluation
The awards are tightly focused on the most critical moment of the hop supply chain: the harvest. Only hops delivered during the 2024 harvest season were considered.
“If we had to purchase pellets or additional supply later in the season because we needed to bolster our inventory, that wouldn’t count,” explained Hunter Van de Graaf, Haas Procurement Manager. “This is about what came off the farm during that growing season.”
To determine the winners, Haas’ farm team evaluates several criteria through both lab analysis and sensory processing, including:
- Alpha acid content
- Aroma quality and true-to-type character
- Cone color and appearance
- Moisture content
- Overall consistency and handling
Each participating farm also receives detailed feedback to help them benchmark their performance year over year—a practice that’s helped develop some perennial standouts across the Pacific Northwest.
Many of these farms are multi-generational operations, and their consistency year after year speaks to their skill and care. “We want to work with farms that grow great hops,” said Van de Graaf. “We think it’s worth celebrating the farms that truly stand out each year.”
Small or Large, Excellence Recognized
To ensure fair recognition at different scales, Haas awards Gold and Silver in both Alpha and Aroma categories, separating winners into large and small farm tiers:
Alpha Hops – Large Farms (>1000 bales)
- Gold: Wyckoff Farms Inc
- Silver: Firewater Ranch
Alpha Hops – Small Farms (<1000 bales)
- Gold: Central Cove Hop LLC
- Silver: Morrier Ranch Inc
Fifth-generation grower Liz McGree of Morrier Ranch credits her team’s dedication for their continued success. “We walk every field, every day, and we are consistent,” she said. “We keep it simple. And our crews—most of them have been here 25+ years.” Morrier Ranch is also GLOBALG.A.P. and Salmon-Safe certified, underlining its commitment to sustainable water, soil, and chemical management.
Aroma Hops – Large Farms (>500 bales)
- Gold: Stauffer Farms LLC
- Silver: CLS Farms
Aroma Hops – Small Farms (<500 bales)
- Gold: Smith Valley Farms Inc
- Silver: Capitol Farms Inc
