Tantalized by the rich aromatic varieties coming out of New Zealand? You are not alone. Brewers are embracing New Zealand hops like never before. New Zealand prides itself on being unique, and their hops have reflected that by disrupting the market with high alpha, high oil, punchy citrus and tropical flare. Growers at NZ Hops are passionate about bringing a great product into the world, and Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) is dedicated to providing access to quality hops to brewers everywhere.

Right now, harvest is underway and brewers from around the world are making way to the land of the long white cloud to select their 2023 NZ crops. “We can’t wait to showcase our farms and wider hop growing region to the international community of brewers” says Blair Stewart, General Manager, Sales and Marketing, NZ Hops Ltd. “This year’s harvest looks amazing, Dr. Ron Beatson has been sharing his excitement of all the hop varieties on his farm visits leading up to harvest. We are eager to get our NZ Hops over to the US brewing community so they can enjoy them as much as we do!”

The demand for coveted varieties unique to New Zealand tends to outweigh their supply. In the past, brewers have been forced to get creative with their use of NZ Hops, as their scarcity limited the volumes available to most North American brewers. By partnering with YCH as a preferred global supplier, the shared goal is to create consistency for brewers to source these lush new world hops.

Hops are often described as the “spice” to beer thanks to the unique performance of different hop varieties. Brewers worth their salt can meticulously layer their hop bill to achieve the perfect final product. Pairing the lush aromatics offered by NZ Hops with classic varieties from the Pacific Northwest can result in a transpacific punch! Bringing together OG showstoppers Nelson Sauvin™ and Chinook can really pack your pint. Asked about his favorite NZ and North American hop combos, Stewart enjoys the zesty marriage of Motueka™ and Citra®. He suggests going light on Citra® to allow the big lime of Motueka™ to shine through. He fondly refers to Nectaron® as “our little rockstar” and notes that it pairs well with Mosaic®, HBC586, or Simcoe®.

Asked about how hop growers in New Zealand are responding to their celebrity status in the hop world, Stewart says “It’s humbling to have brewers from around the world come up to us and rave about our various hop varieties.” He adds that “NZ Hop farmers take immense pride in what they do and honor our heritage and what’s important to their local communities. They set high standards for themselves.”

YCH will be processing select 2023 crop NZ Hop varieties into our patented Cryo Hops® brand pellets to bring you concentrated New Zealand lupulin like you have never experienced before. Look out for Cryo™ versions of Nelson™, Motueka™, Nectaron®, and Riwaka™ this summer!

We are proud to be partners with New Zealand’s grower owned hop cooperative. NZ Hops… an excellent tool for your hop playbook. 

Hops are often described as the “spice” to beer thanks to the unique performance of different hop varieties. Brewers worth their salt can meticulously layer their hop bill to achieve the perfect final product. Pairing the lush aromatics offered by NZ Hops with classic varieties from the Pacific Northwest can result in a transpacific punch! Bringing together OG showstoppers Nelson Sauvin™ and Chinook can really pack your pint. Asked about his favorite NZ and North American hop combos, Stewart enjoys the zesty marriage of Motueka™ and Citra®. He suggests going light on Citra® to allow the big lime of Motueka™ to shine through. He fondly refers to Nectaron® as “our little rockstar” and notes that it pairs well with Mosaic®, HBC586, or Simcoe®.

Asked about how hop growers in New Zealand are responding to their celebrity status in the hop world, Stewart says “It’s humbling to have brewers from around the world come up to us and rave about our various hop varieties.” He adds that “NZ Hop farmers take immense pride in what they do and honor our heritage and what’s important to their local communities. They set high standards for themselves.”

YCH will be processing select 2023 crop NZ Hop varieties into our patented Cryo Hops® brand pellets to bring you concentrated New Zealand lupulin like you have never experienced before. Look out for Cryo™ versions of Nelson™, Motueka™, Nectaron®, and Riwaka™ this summer!

We are proud to be partners with New Zealand’s grower owned hop cooperative. NZ Hops… an excellent tool for your hop playbook.