But even more curious than the historical amnesia is that now, seemingly all of a sudden, hops are coming back. Over time, most people seemed to forget that hops could even be grown in Wisconsin-an ironic outcome for a state that is virtually synonymous with the production and enjoyment of beer. By 1920, the commercial hops industry had completely abandoned the state for the Pacific Northwest. Aphids left behind another fungus–sooty mold–which spread into the hops cones and further decimated the crop. Ultimately, what killed the hops industry in Wisconsin was blight. They cultivated only one or two types of hops and planted the bines very close together across a relatively small region. Farmers in the 19th century had a dim understanding of sustainable agriculture or disease management. It turns out that Wisconsin has an ideal climate for hops cultivation, but as with so many economic booms, the so-called “hops craze” gave way to a dramatic agricultural bust. They then die back to the ground each winter and go dormant. Botanically speaking, hops are actually strobiles or “cones.” They are herbaceous perennials that grow on long stalks, called bines, reaching to 20 feet in just six weeks. Four million pounds of those hops came from Sauk County alone.Ī small but essential ingredient in beer, hops are commonly thought of as aromatic flowers that serve mainly to bitter, but also to flavor and even preserve, the sweet malt beverage. At the peak of hops cultivation in 1867, Wisconsin farmers produced 11 million pounds of hops per year. A secondary industry of how-to manuals rose up to meet the demand of prospective farmers, many of whom were planting the crop for the first time. From 1860 to 1880, the expansion of large breweries like Pabst and Schlitz helped to fuel the hops-growing boom.Ĭentered in Sauk County, Wisconsin hops cultivation grew so rapidly that some bankers were writing blank checks. Coincidentally, the 19th century was also the heyday of the local brewing industry. It started (the first time) in the mid 19th century when westward-moving settlers and returning Civil War soldiers converged on the region in search of new opportunities. Advance tickets are available online.ĭaniel Higgins writes about food and drink for Gannett Wisconsin Media, Twitter and Instagram facebook.Hops-growing in Wisconsin has a rather curious history. Tickets are $45 in advance or $50 at the door. Brendan’s Inn, Texas Roadhouse and Ziggey’s Inn.Īppleton-based band Nashville Pipeline will provide the tunes. More than 50 different craft brews and wine samples will be available to pair with culinary creations from Green Bay-area restaurants and caterers including: 1951 West, Black and Tan Grille, Brett Favre Steakhouse, Cheesecake Heaven, Gallagher’s Pizza, Grazies, Great Harvest Bread Co., Green Bay Distillery, HuHot Mongolian Grill, Hyatt on Main, Luna Coffee & Roastery, The Runaway Spoon, St. Guests can munch on culinary creations such as goat cheese and apricot jam crostini, wild mushroom ravioli with basil cream, seafood and chicken cannoli and pair them with beers with names like Polka King Porter, Blister In The Sun, and Crooked Dock. Hops on the Hill, a fundraiser for Heritage Hill State Historical Park that combines local chef creations with beer and wine samples throughout the park, is back for its eighth rendition.
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