AN INTRODUCTION TO NEW ZEALAND HOPS

New Zealand has been selling hops in the international marketplace for the many years and currently sells hops to clients in Germany, UK, USA, Ireland, Japan, Norway/Sweden, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Australia.

Virtually all of the sprays used in New Zealand are used for weed control as they do not have any of the diseases and pests such as aphid, downy or powdery mildew, or verticillium wilt in New Zealand. This spray free factor has become of significant interest internationally in New Zealand hops.

Similarly virtually all of the hop gardens in New Zealand are irrigated with permanent overhead irrigation, which gives consistent and reliable production.

Another factor that has become significant in the "clean green" image of New Zealand hops is that virtually all of the New Zealand crop is kiln dried using indirect hot water radiators, so that no oil or gas burnt fumes come into contact with the hops. Concerns of carcinogenic substances and the presence of nitrosamines, therefore, do not exist in New Zealand,

Tests have shown that New Zealand hops have a low content of nitrate, which is becoming increasingly important to the brewing industry.

We wish to point out to you that New Zealand hops are now recognized as having an excellent dual purpose role in brewing, having good and stable alpha acid and also good aroma. Lagers and ales using 100% New Zealand hops have won many international awards giving our hops the reputation of not having the harsh bitterness of most high alpha type hops. New Zealand hops have been used exclusively in beers that have twice won the "Brewer" competition in England. Similarly Lagers using 100% New Zealand hops have won Gold and Silver medals at "Le Monde Selection" in Belgium.