The Michigan Craft Beverage Council recently announced the recipients of their 2024 Research Grants. Nearly $350,000 was awarded to twelve projects. Three of the twelve projects will directly benefit the Michigan hop industry and related craft brewing industry and a fourth proposal will likely have a positive impact on Michigan’s hop industry as well.

Dr. Martin Chilvers, Dr. Tim Miles, and Karri Neugebauer (Michigan State University) were awarded $48,000 for their proposal “Assessment of Plant Varieties and Disease Management Practices to Improve Hop and Barley Quality”. The objectives of the proposal are to 1) Conduct a meta-analysis to determine the optimal fungicide program for head blight of barley; 2) Screen commercial hop varieties for resistance to downy mildew and halo blight; 3) Evaluate downy mildew and halo blight resistant male germplasm for breeding; 4) Update extension materials for Michigan hop and barley farmers with findings from research. The overarching goal of the research is to contribute to and improve hop and barley Integrated Pest Management programs to support Michigan’s craft beer industry.

MSU was also funded to continue research into hop-cyst nematodes. Dr. Marisol Quintanilla-Tornel and Usman Muhammad were funded $39,998 for their proposal “Protecting the Michigan Hop Industry Through Germplasm Evaluation for Hop-Cyst Nematode Tolerance”. The project will assess tolerance levels of different hop varieties against HCN in terms of their impact on both above and below-ground growth, nutrition, and yield. This approach will develop baseline information on how different hop varieties respond to HCN parasitism. Additionally, the research will offer growers essential information about the tolerance levels (resistant, moderate, susceptible, highly susceptible) of different varieties of hops to HCN damage. This knowledge will empower hops growers to select varieties with potential tolerance to HCN parasitism, leading to increased production without the need for intensive management efforts.

Drs. Josh Vander Weide, Rob Sirrine, Nicole Shriner, Emily Mayhew, and Tim Miles (MSU) were awarded $40,000 for their proposal: “Improving Michigan Hop and Beer Aroma and Flavor Using a Biostimulant”. The objective of this project is to evaluate the capacity of a natural plant hormone biostimulant, methyl jasmonate, to enhance hop and beer aroma. MSU will evaluate alpha and beta acid and aroma volatile concentrations in hops and beer, as well as conduct a sensory tests to understand whether consumers can distinguish beers made with methyl jasmonate-treated and untreated hops. This research may also demonstrate the potential to slightly alter harvest dates leading to improved hop yields and quality. HGM and MSU also submitted an expanded version of this proposal to the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, that if funded will expand the research to additional cultivars for at least two additional years.

Dr. Aaron Staples who recently completed his Ph.D. at MSU, Dr. Trey Malone (formerly at MSU), and Dr. Rob Sirrine were awarded MI Craft Beverage Council funding for their proposal: “Benchmarking best practices to expand craft beverage markets for the Michigan value chain”. This project will identify the regulatory, marketing, and other constraints related to local craft beverage supply chain development. It will also determine consumer policy and purchasing preferences across craft beverage value chains and explore which marketing strategies might be most effective for promoting the development of the Michigan craft beverage industry.

Thanks to the Michigan Craft Beverage Council for funding proposals that will benefit the Michigan hop and craft beer industries.  

Also...the Michigan Craft Beverage Council has a website aimed to connect specialty crop growers with craft beverage producers. Businesses can search for Michigan specialty crop growers – such as hops – by variety, location and many other identifying characteristics. List your farm, for free, by submitting a grower form. For more information, check out this one-pager about this opportunity.