Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.

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Growing the Hop Yard Relationship A Brewer's Perspective

Old 4th Hop Yard

Ron Brennan

• Located in Williamstown, Ontario

• Established in 2010

• Achieved organic certification in 2013 and have been doubling in size every year

• 4 acres of production

• Infrastructure ready for total of 8 acres for the 2016 growing season.

• Largest hop yard in Eastern Ontario

• 2nd largest certified organic hop yard in Canada

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Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.

• Located in Vankleek Hill, ON

• Established July 1st, 2006

• Co-Founded by Tim, Steve Beauchesne

• Family run, independently owned

• Award-winning – over 75 awards for brewing, packaging design, and business practices

• 100% certified organic

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Starting a relationship with a brewery

Challenges

• Small yield from young plants or small acreage

• Format – wet, whole leaf, pelletized - each has disadvantages and

advantages

• How to get the brewery’s attention – Busy, busy, busy

– Many want to grow hops for a brewery

• What to grow? – what brewers want versus what grows well

• Supplying a quality product to instil confidence

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How Beau’s Sources Hops

• Organic vs Local • Hops taste very different depending on where they are grown • At Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.:

– Must be 100% certified organic and – in pellet form

• Factors for purchase: – local business – quality – price – organic certification status – commitment to sustainability – availability (this year and beyond) – does flavour profile fit our recipes?

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Old 4th and Beau’s It was just a matter of time...

• Long term ties to the area

• Locally supplied

• Geographically – closest supplier to brewery

• Certified Organic

• Beaus was one of 2 Ontario Craft Breweries with certified organic products

• Highly regarded and very successful brewery

• Reciprocal interest in building a long term relationship

• Focus on growing hops versus sales and marketing.

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• Local business

• Came prepared, informed, did their homework

• Continued education in collaboration

– we grow together in hop knowledge

• Excellent quality product

• Competitive pricing

• Open to changing up varieties

based on demand

• Old 4th team are awesome people!

Beau’s and Old 4th Because...

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How the relationship has benefited Old 4th

• Long term relationship

• Invest and expanding the hop yard with confidence

• We don't need to expand at a riskier pace

• Active partner – Beau’s is truly interested in what we do

• Old 4th now very familiar with brewers needs

• Helps promote and support local industry

• Brewers are encouraged to visit and inspect the farm

• Teamed up with a winning organization

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Working With Old 4th

The results

• Beau’s uses over 11,000kg’s of organic pellet hops per year.

• Increase demand in rapidly growing industry

• Old 4th set the standard for relationships with hop partners

• Win-win when time comes for us to write grant applications for future expansion

• Showcase that we are helping to grow and support local agriculture businesses

• Great quality local organic hops at a fair price

• PR/Marketing: – Great messaging

– Customers want to know where we source ingredients in their beverages

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Working With Old 4th

The results

• Continued Education: Annual trips to the hop farm

• Annual harvest day party is a highlight of the year

– Staff in touch with one of our closest suppliers and the local agriculture community

• Traceability

– Easy to trace back local sources

• Supply Contract – very important step

– ensures supply/stability moving forward

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Harvest Party 2015

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Looking ahead

• Challenging to work with a brewery size of Beau’s

– Easier to work with start up or small brewery

• Expanded hop production = ability to highlight specific beer releases featuring local hops

• Continued grower/brewer consultation

– What hops are needed / what hops are growing well

• Leverage the relationship:

– Marketing/Events/PR/Grant Applications

• Leverage Knowledge:

– We need more growers!

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Craft brewery category criteria

Hops or Spice Source: • Dec. 31, 2016 to become a preliminary Savour Ottawa

member a 'commitment' must be made to one Savour Ottawa local farmer/producer

• By 2019, brewery must use 25% Ontario and/or Savour Ottawa hops or other spices

• By 2021, brewery must use 50% Ontario and/or Savour Ottawa hops or other spices (minimum of 15% from Savour Ottawa farmer)

• By 2026, brewery must use 75% Ontario and/or Savour Ottawa hops or other spices (minimum of 50% from Savour Ottawa farmer)

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Craft brewery category criteria

Sugar Source To-be-determined: based on dollar value of sugar source, or original gravity, or weight of product): • Dec. 31, 2016 to become a preliminary Savour Ottawa

member must make commitment to one local farmer/producer

• By 2021, 5% of fermentable ingredients (by $ value, original

gravity, or weight prior to processing) are sourced from Savour Ottawa member

• By 2025, 10% of fermentable ingredients (by $ value, original

gravity, or weight prior to processing) are sourced from Savour Ottawa member

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Thank you!

Questions?