US: Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences work to make beer hops a Florida crop

Although plenty of Florida’s craft brewers advertise their libations as brewed with state-grown ingredients, a vital ingredient — hops — is not readily available within the Sunshine State. A University of Florida study currently underway, however, may help pave the way for a robust crop of Florida-grown hops. Researchers with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) believe they have identified a method for making hop-growing viable despite Florida’s incompatible climate: greenhouses. “This has never been done in Florida,” said Katherine Thompson-Witrick, an assistant professor in the UF/IFAS food science and human nutrition department and the leader of the study. Hers is a potentially impactful endeavor. In 2021, the Florida craft brewing industry generated $4.1 billion for the state, the fourth-largest amount in the country, according to the Brewers Association, a Colorado-based organization that monitors the industry. Since January 2023, when the Florida ...