Sonoma County brewers tap into local hops
The startlingly intense, vibrant green aroma of fresh hops is enough to make any beer lover’s knees buckle.
The culprit is lupulin, a yellow pollen lookalike produced in the cone-shaped hop flower. Largely responsible for the aromas, flavors and bitterness found in beer, lupulin’s volatile oils and acids dissipate quickly after picking.
To preserve these precious compounds, fresh hops must be swiftly preserved after harvest, when they’re often dried into pellets to extend their shelf life.
Dried hops are consistent, potent and long-lasting, making them a popular choice among brewers. But fresh hops — with their bright grassy aromas that sing of summer — can be hard for many to resist.
To capture this fleeting freshness, brewers are increasingly turning to “wet-hopping,” a brewing practice that uses just-picked hops straight off the bine (stem).
In Sonoma County, Alexander Valley Hops has been supplying farm-fresh hops to local brewers since 2020.
Owner Melissa Peline Luci, whose family has been growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Alexander Valley since the mid-1970s, never expected to get into the hop business. She and her husband, Tony Luci, also own the 180-acre Peline Vineyards, which takes up plenty of their time.
But when an awkward corner of the vineyard proved too time-consuming to mow, Luci began envisioning what else she could grow.
“It was this long, skinny parcel that just wasn’t suited to wine grapes,” she said. “One day, I had this harebrained idea to grow something that went up. It turned out to be an incredible spot for hops.”
Big business
But Luci wasn’t the first to discover Sonoma County is prime hop-growing territory. Hops were introduced to the region in the 1850s. By 1913, the county was producing nearly half of California’s total hop crop, which reached its peak in revenue at $2.6 million in 1945.
After World War II, Sonoma County’s hop acreage sharply declined, in part due to disease, labor issues and competition from large hop growers. By the 1960s, only two hop growers remained.
Over the last decade or so, a small handful of hop growers have cropped up in the region, including Warm Spring Wind Hop Farm in Santa Rosa and Crane Ranch Hops in Rohnert Park. Luci was confident there was room for more.
Farm-fresh hops
In 2019, Luci and her team went to work planting hops, which now total about 1,000 plants over nearly two acres. Positioned near a hillside that traps the heat, the bines are trellised on coconut string, where they can grow up to 12 inches per day.
Currently, she’s growing Chinook, Cascade, Cashmere, Triumph and Comet hops, with an additional variety slated for 2026.
“The number one thing about farming hops is the soil, so we use a lot of sustainable agriculture practices,” she said. “We farm organic hay, which we feed to our livestock, then use that manure and some incredible compost to improve soil fertility.”
In 2020, the Kincaide fire threatened to destroy the entire vineyard property. A historic barn and parts of the vineyard were lost, but the hop yard, the Lucis’ house and most of the vineyard survived. Heritage oaks that were damaged by the heat of the fire continue to fall, but they’re turned into mulch, which is used across the property.
Luci admits she knew little about growing hops at the beginning of her journey. But local brewers like Vinny and Natalie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing Co. have been invaluable.
“They’re such a wealth of knowledge. Feeling like I have someone to lean on and ask questions has been a real blessing,” she said. “Honestly, everyone in the industry has been extremely welcoming and willing to pass on information.”
Russian River Brewing Co. has been purchasing fresh hops from Luci for the past few years. This year, the brewery is featuring Alexander Valley Hops in its HopTime Harvest Ale, a wet hop IPA made with Cascade and Chinook. The beer is currently available on draft and in cans at its brewpubs in Santa Rosa and Windsor, while supplies last.
“Having Sonoma County-grown hops is central to the original vision and purpose of our HopTime Harvest Ale, which we first brewed in 1998 with fresh hops from the Korbel property,” said Natalie Cilurzo. “Sonoma County was once the largest hop-growing region in the U.S. We’re proud of our local hop-growing heritage and love that we can still use locally grown hops.”
In demand
Like any winegrower with an esteemed vineyard, Luci is discerning about who can purchase her limited supply of fresh hops. This year, Russian River Brewing Co., Crooked Goat Brewing in Sebastopol and Petaluma, Old Caz Beer in Rohnert Park, Mad Fritz Brewery in St. Helena and Oakland’s Saint Adarius Rustic Ales were among those who got lucky. (A small group of homebrewers also scored.)
“Growing hops is definitely a labor of love,” she said. “The real reward comes from providing something good for the community and being a part of Sonoma County’s modern hop history.”
Where to taste:
Russian River Brewing Company (HopTime Harvest Ale): 275 Fourth St., Santa Rosa; 700 Mitchell Lane, WindsorCrooked Goat Brewing (Hella Fresh Cascade Pale Ale): 120 Morris St., Sebastopol; 110 Howard St., PetalumaMad Fritz Brewing (Oast House): 393 La Fata St., Saint Helena (reservations recommended); 6720 Washington St., Yountville.Saint Adarius Rustic Ales (Fresh Hop Chinook): 460 8th St. OaklandComing Soon: Old Caz Brewing (Alexander Valley):1500 Valley House Dr., Suite 110, Rohnert Park