The hop crop (that’s fun to say) reached an all-time high in 2016.

U.S. hop acreage increased a whopping 18.5% this year. Total acreage now stands at 53,213, which is an all-time high and 8,303 more acres than 2015.

Hops are kinda big deal to the over 5,000 US craft breweries. According to the newly released 2016 USDA Hop Crop Report, the US hop crop is now worth $498 million, the most valuable crop, after adjusting for inflation, on record. 75% of hops came from Washington State. From the report

Production for Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in 2016 totaled 87.1 million pounds, up 11 percent from the 2015 crop of 78.8 million pounds. Production increased in all three States; 16 percent in Oregon, 10 percent in Washington, and 7 percent in Idaho. Combined area harvested for Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in 2016 totaled 50,857 acres, up 17 percent from the 2015 level of 43,633 acres.

Acreage increased in all three States; 17 percent in Oregon, 16 percent in Washington, and 16 percent in Idaho. United States hop yield, at 1,713 pounds per acre, decreased 94 pounds from a year ago. Washington growers produced 75 percent of the United States hop crop for 2016.

Cascade, Simcoe, Zeus, Centennial, Citra, and Mosaic were the six leading varieties in Washington, accounting for about 58 percent of the State’s hop crop. In Oregon, Nugget, Cascade, and Willamette were the major varieties, accounting for 49 percent of the State’s hop production. In Idaho, Zeus, Cascade, and Mosaic were the major varieties, accounting for 42 percent of the State’s hop production.

The 2016 value of production of the United States hop crop totaled $498 million, up 44 percent from the record 2015 value of $345 million. The increased value can be attributed to the higher hop acreage and production, and the continued trend to shift hop production from Alpha varieties to Aroma varieties that are higher in value. This shift occurred in all three States and resulted in a higher average price per pound in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The Brewers Association’s Chief Economist summed this all up nicely in some succinct quotes