Hops

The past two years have been a learning experience for Lincoln Slagel at Emancipation Brewing Company as he turns his focus to 2023 using those lessons learned.

Solar panels have been installed at Emancipation Brewing Co. this past month to sustainably provide electricity to the brewery, house and other buildings on the farm.

The hops grown on the Emancipation Brewing Co. grounds were harvested a few weeks ago and headed toward cans or kegs. “We harvested enough to brew a couple of things that we always like to brew, but there were no extra hops this year,” said Lincoln Slagel.

Lincoln Slagel turned back time with a corn variety developed in the late 1870s in central Indiana. Boone County White corn grew in popularity among brewers and distillers across the Midwest in the late 1800s and early 1900s until prohibition.

A much-needed rain was steadily falling across Livingston County Friday morning, July 15, as Lincoln Slagel and his wife, Kim, were making preparations for the weekend at Emancipation Brewery Company.

Hops are one of the key ingredients for making beer and Emancipation Brewing Company visitors can see the plant being grown for the next batch from the beer garden.

Lincoln Slagel enjoys doing research and when his college roommate introduced him to craft beer, he looked deeper into it.

Driving down U.S. 550 between Montrose and Ridgway in southwest Colorado, the hop bines are visible from the road. This time of year, during harvest season, they stretch 18 feet tall, climbing the trellises that farmers Chris DellaBianca and Audrey Gehlhausen hang by hand each spring.

Cousins Tim Byrne and Kory Byrne don’t have a background in farming, but when they decided to try growing hops, a flowering plant used in beer, it has become an adventure that has expanded beyond just a hobby.

Farmers who grow niche products face a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Two farmers shared their stories at the 2021 Indiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ag Professionals Conference.