Grower Brewer Relationships

1. Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.
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Growing the Hop Yard Relationship
A Brewer's Perspective

2. Old 4th Hop Yard
Ron Brennan
• Located in Williamstown, Ontario
• Established in 2010
• Achieved organic certification in 2013 and have been doubling
in size every year
• 4 acres of production
• Infrastructure ready for total of 8 acres for the 2016 growing
season.
• Largest hop yard in Eastern Ontario
• 2nd largest certified organic hop yard in Canada

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Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.
• Located in Vankleek Hill, ON
• Established July 1st, 2006
• Co-Founded by Tim, Steve
Beauchesne
• Family run, independently owned
• Award-winning – over 75 awards for
brewing, packaging design, and
business practices
• 100% certified organic

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Starting a relationship with a brewery
Challenges
• Small yield from young plants or small acreage
• Format
– wet, whole leaf, pelletized - each has disadvantages and
advantages
• How to get the brewery’s attention
– Busy, busy, busy
– Many want to grow hops for a brewery
• What to grow?
– what brewers want versus what grows well
• Supplying a quality product to instil confidence

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How Beau’s Sources Hops
• Organic vs Local
• Hops taste very different depending on where they are grown
• At Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.:
– Must be 100% certified organic and
– in pellet form
• Factors for purchase:
– local business
– quality
– price
– organic certification status
– commitment to sustainability
– availability (this year and beyond)
– does flavour profile fit our recipes?

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Old 4th and Beau’s
It was just a matter of time...
• Long term ties to the area
• Locally supplied
• Geographically – closest supplier to brewery
• Certified Organic
• Beaus was one of 2 Ontario Craft Breweries with certified
organic products
• Highly regarded and very successful brewery
• Reciprocal interest in building a long term relationship
• Focus on growing hops versus sales and marketing.

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• Local business
• Came prepared, informed, did their homework
• Continued education in collaboration
– we grow together in hop knowledge
• Excellent quality product
• Competitive pricing
• Open to changing up varieties
based on demand
• Old 4th team are awesome people!
Beau’s and Old 4th
Because...

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How the relationship has benefited
Old 4th
• Long term relationship
• Invest and expanding the hop yard with confidence
• We don't need to expand at a riskier pace
• Active partner – Beau’s is truly interested in what we do
• Old 4th now very familiar with brewers needs
• Helps promote and support local industry
• Brewers are encouraged to visit and inspect the farm
• Teamed up with a winning organization

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Working With Old 4th
The results
• Beau’s uses over 11,000kg’s of organic pellet hops per year.
• Increase demand in rapidly growing industry
• Old 4th set the standard for relationships with hop partners
• Win-win when time comes for us to write grant applications
for future expansion
• Showcase that we are helping to grow and support local
agriculture businesses
• Great quality local organic hops at a fair price
• PR/Marketing:
– Great messaging
– Customers want to know where we source ingredients in their
beverages

10. 10
Working With Old 4th
The results
• Continued Education: Annual trips to the hop farm
• Annual harvest day party is a highlight of the year
– Staff in touch with one of our closest suppliers and the
local agriculture community
• Traceability
– Easy to trace back local sources
• Supply Contract
– very important step
– ensures supply/stability moving forward

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Harvest Party 2015

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Looking ahead
• Challenging to work with a brewery size of Beau’s
– Easier to work with start up or small brewery
• Expanded hop production = ability to highlight
specific beer releases featuring local hops
• Continued grower/brewer consultation
– What hops are needed / what hops are growing well
• Leverage the relationship:
– Marketing/Events/PR/Grant Applications
• Leverage Knowledge:
– We need more growers!

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Craft brewery category criteria
Hops or Spice Source:
• Dec. 31, 2016 to become a preliminary Savour Ottawa
member a 'commitment' must be made to one Savour Ottawa
local farmer/producer
• By 2019, brewery must use 25% Ontario and/or Savour
Ottawa hops or other spices
• By 2021, brewery must use 50% Ontario and/or Savour
Ottawa hops or other spices (minimum of 15% from Savour
Ottawa farmer)
• By 2026, brewery must use 75% Ontario and/or Savour
Ottawa hops or other spices (minimum of 50% from Savour
Ottawa farmer)

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Craft brewery category criteria
Sugar Source
To-be-determined: based on dollar value of sugar
source, or original gravity, or weight of product):
• Dec. 31, 2016 to become a preliminary Savour Ottawa
member must make commitment to one local
farmer/producer
• By 2021, 5% of fermentable ingredients (by $ value, original
gravity, or weight prior to processing) are sourced from Savour
Ottawa member
• By 2025, 10% of fermentable ingredients (by $ value, original
gravity, or weight prior to processing) are sourced from Savour
Ottawa member

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Thank you!
Questions?