Despite a recent softening in demand for craft beer, University of Florida experts say there’s reason for optimism – especially as researchers supply Florida-grown hops to the state’s brewers.
At the June 2 Hops Field Day at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), attendees got a front-row look at how UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers are working to strengthen the state’s craft-beer ecosystem from the ground up.
Nathan Palardy, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of food and resource economics, shared fresh data that paints a nuanced picture of the market.
“Nationally, the beer industry continues to adjust to a challenging market,” Palardy said.
Here are some numbers Palardy presented from 2024-25:
Florida craft breweries produced about 1.1 million barrels in 2025, ranking fifth nationally, but still saw a 9.6% decline in production from 2024, a drop exceeding the national rate.
But Palardy sees some bright spots in a challenging environment because Florida benefits from strong population growth and tourism.
“In a highly competitive environment, our research suggests that both breweries and growers can leverage local ingredient sourcing and sustainability to appeal to Florida’s craft beer consumers and optimize their market strategies,” he said.
Florida now has 379 craft breweries, spread throughout the state, up from 45 in 2011. More breweries are expected to follow and experiment with Florida-grown hops, especially now that they are available in pellet form, making them easier to use.
Shinsuke Agehara, an associate professor of horticultural sciences, has been growing hops at the UF/IFAS GCREC since 2015. Prior to his efforts, no one had grown hops successfully in Florida.
UF/IFAS scientists have not only changed that but also demonstrated the commercial potential of Florida-grown hops as a key ingredient in craft beer.
Since their experiments started, GCREC scientists have been supplying their hops to Tampa Bay-area brewers and others around Florida.
To date, 19 microbreweries have brewed over 5,000 gallons of beer using GCREC hops.
“With almost no local commercial hops production, we are likely the largest supplier of Florida-grown hops,” Agehara said. “What supports the potential of Florida hops is the close collaboration between researchers and local brewers. We receive direct feedback from brewers on aroma, flavor and brewing performance, and we use that information to guide our research and selection efforts.”
The program is now entering an important new phase, focused on cultivar development, Agehara said.
To develop hops that might further help the craft brewing industry, researchers at GCREC have evaluated seed-propagated hop plants, identifying several promising plants for potential cultivar release. This season, starting in mid-June, researchers will plant those plants in a large-scale field trial.
UF/IFAS scientists hope the expanded evaluation will lead to the first release of Florida-adapted hop cultivars, supporting the establishment and long-term growth of commercial hop production in Florida.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida hops research offers bright spot as craft beer market slows
Reporting by Brad Buck, UF/IFAS / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brad Buck, UF/IFAS | USA TODAY Network
