Samuel Adams^®
Hop Sharing Program

FAQs

Q.        What is Boston Beer’s hops sharing program?
A.        In response to the worldwide hops shortage, The Boston Beer Company released 20,000 pounds of hops to other American craft brewers this past March. Many craft brewers were struggling to get hops in order to brew beer and we wanted to try to help a little. Following on reports of what looks like a bountiful fall harvest, we are in a position to feel comfortable releasing another 20,000 pounds of German Noble Tettnang Tettnanger hops to help the brewers who are still in limbo awaiting these hops from this year’s crop

Q.        What hop varieties are being released?
A.        The hops are Tettnang Tettnanger hops, a Noble Hop variety from small farms in Germany.

Q.        Who is eligible?
A.        First in line for this second lottery are those brewers who previously requested hops during the March lottery and whose requests we were not able to fulfill. We received requests that we couldn’t fully fill from 212 brewers for a total of almost 40,000 pounds of Tettnang hops, and we want to give these brewers first crack at this second sharing of hops.

Q.        Are these leftover hops that the company doesn’t need?
A.        No. These are hops that we bought in the 2007 harvest. We could certainly use them, but because this year’s hop crop looks promising, we are in a position to release these additional hops to help brewers still feeling the affects of this year’s hop shortage while awaiting hops from what looks like a bountiful fall harvest.

Q.        Are these hops in good condition?
A.        Yes. These hops are fresh from the 2007 harvest.  They have been kept cold and are in excellent condition. They are packed in foil bags. They are type 90 pellets.  These exact hops will also be used in our Samuel Adams beers.

Q.        What are the alpha acids of these hops?
A.        The Tettnang Tettnangers came in at 4.2% in final analysis of the pellets.

Q.        What quantities can brewers get?
A.        These hops are pelletized and packaged in 88 pound boxes. So, brewers can order as little as 88 pounds of a single variety of hops. The maximum amount we are making available to any one brewer is 528 pounds. We ask that brewers who previously requested hops do not increase their orders.

Q.        If you need them, why are you letting them go?
A.        As the largest craft brewer, Samuel Adams has a little more leeway than some of the smaller craft brewers. We buy our hops under long term contracts with select growers. This hops shortage has been extremely difficult for some of the very small breweries in our industry. We have contracts for 2007, 2008 and beyond for most of our varieties. When we shared hops in the March lottery, we were betting on a reasonably strong 2008 crop. Now, having confirmed reports that this year’s crop is bountiful, we’re in a comfortable position to release these additional hops to help brewers still feeling the affects of this year’s hop shortage.

Q.        What are you charging for these hops?
A.        We will be selling them at our cost, $5.42 for the Tettnangs, plus .75 per pound for shipping and handling

Q.        What is the sales tax on hops?  Who is covering that cost?
A.        Brewers are exempt from paying a sales tax on hops used to make their beers.  Brewers will be asked to provide a sales tax exemption certificate to qualify.

Q.        What would these hops cost on the open market today?
A.        Well, the real problem is that there is simply NO supply until the hops from the 2008 crop are available on the market. Brewers have been searching high and low for new sources and for different hops throughout 2008. We have heard of people paying $15 and even $30 per pound for hops that may not be as good as the ones we have.

Q.        What will prevent the brewers who buy these hops from reselling them at a much higher price?
A.        Nothing other than doing what is right.  We believe craft brewers will help one another.  We’ve asked brewers to order only what they need and to let their consciences be their guide.

Q.        When will the brewers who order the hops receive them?
A.       We anticipate shipping out to brewers around the end of November.

Q.        Wouldn’t it be easier to go through a hops dealer?
A.        Yes, it would be, but we wanted to keep the price as low as possible. If we went through a hops dealer, the dealer would take a commission on the transaction.

Q.        Are you making a profit on these hops?
A.        No, we are not.

Q.        What if you get order for more than the 20,000 pounds you have available?
A.       As was the case in March, we suspect we’ll receive requests for more than the 20,000 lbs. of Tettnang Tettnanger hops that we have available. It is likely we will hold another lottery to distribute all 20,000 lbs to those brewers in need.

Q.        What if there isn’t enough interest to sell all 20,000 pounds of hops.
A.        Given the situation on the world market, and knowing that there were 212 brewers who did not receive a requested total of almost 40,000 pounds of Tettnang hops in the first lottery, that is unlikely, but if it were to be the case, we will open the lottery up to any U.S.-based professional craft brewer (as defined by the Brewers Association).

Q.        What is the deadline for brewers to apply? 
A.        All brewers interested in purchasing the hops must submit their request by November 10.

Q.        When will the brewers who qualify receive the hops?
A.        We estimate shipping them out by early December.

Q.        What should I do if I’m a brewer and have more questions that haven’t been answered?
A.        Email us at hopsharing@bostonbeer.com and we’ll get back to you via email.