Recently I got the chance to sit down and pick the brains of a guy that is doing something very special on a plot of land in Derbyshire. Craig (@saltyinsheff) invited me to his modest up-and-coming hop farm set in the beautiful countryside of Clowne (Derbyshire). Aside from housing a small fleet of horses and a fledgeling orchard, Craig and his family are attempting to push the boundaries of British hop production by taking hops usually grown in Yakima, Washington and transplanting them into the heartland of British brewing. The results are interesting, unique and (above all) delicious.
This video is part one of two of a long day in the Sun. In this interview-style episode we talk a little about Craig’s farm before he gives some sage advice on:
- His hop selection methods
- The environmental requirements for growing hops
- Some of the difficulties of growing hops
- Yield expectations
- Brewing using the Brewie system
- And why the phoenix hop is rising from the ashes!
We also get to try some of his delicious beer and enjoy the sunshine. This is a great chat with a great guy, please enjoy the chat and follow Craig at @Saltyinsheff on Instagram and Twitter