When we started Indie Hops in 2009, we knew we needed to build solid relationships with knowledgeable, forward-thinking growers. It is on farms and ranches that hop plants grow each year, loading the oils and acids into dangling hops that balance malty sweetness and add the hop flavors and aromas people love in beer.

Early in the process of setting up shop, we were fortunate to meet two exceptional growers–Gayle Goschie of Goschie Farms and John Coleman of Coleman Agriculture. Both had a rich history of growing hops and were open to the idea of targeting the craft market.

We started by contracting small fields of multiple public varieties with these growers. As our business grew, so did the number of acres that we planted with each farm. When our hop development efforts reached a point that required commercial testing grounds, we established advanced nurseries on these farms. And when we reached the exciting point of launching our own hop varieties into the market, it was with these farm partners that we planted the first commercial acreage.

Coleman Agriculture and Goschie Farms have been our primary growers since our humble beginnings, and remain so today. They grow beautiful hops and have been more than we could ask for in farm partners! We work closely with them to navigate the hop market and to ensure optimum character development and harvest timing for every variety that we supply.

In 2018, we could tell that market demand for Strata would increase, so we began broadening our grower relationships to expand acreage. We coordinate propagation and start with virus-free plants from cell cultures maintained in a lab to ensure healthy fields. We started working with F&B Farms in 2018 and Fobert Farms in 2019. In 2021, BC Hop Farms, B&D Farms and Sodbuster Farms all began growing Strata fields for us as well. We’re super happy to be working with these excellent growers.

We also are happy to have partnerships in place with Crosby Hop Farm in Oregon and Roy Farms in Washington state. Both are outstanding hop growers and suppliers that have been licensed to grow and supply our unique varieties to the very diverse and expansive market of USA breweries.

Each of these growers take pride in growing high quality hops. We bring our own passion; and together, we are committed to crafting the highest quality hops for brewers.