Time for another expansion at Michigan Hop Alliance, headquartered in Omena.

Brian and Amy Tennis founded the company by planting their landmark first acre of hops on the Leelanau Peninsula in 2008. In taking a chance on hops, the Tennises started one of the first commercial hopyards in Michigan, after the state’s 80+ year hiatus from the industry.

Nearly five years ago, Commerce Township-based Streetcar Partners Management purchased a controlling interest in the business, which allowed for such immense growth in hop processing, production and brokering for Michigan Hop Alliance that it became the largest independent hop merchant in the Midwest almost overnight.

Currently Michigan Hop Alliance pellet product is distributed (with freight shipping from Livonia) to over 4,000 accounts across North America, with a handful of shipments worldwide. “We have invested in efficiency and improvements every year since we started and is one the main reasons we are still here and able to be competitive on a global scale,” notes Tennis.

Now as the hop grower/merchant enters its 15th season, it is increasing the pellet processing capacity at the hopyard in Omena, as well as investing in its drying facility and increasing its throughput “by over 100 percent,” shares Tennis. “This is very good news for local hop farmers and the brewing community we serve.”

The facility’s footprint in Omena will only be expand by a 40’-x-70’ addition, but inside where the drying and picking takes place will look dramatically different in terms of efficiency, shares Tennis. As a result, the Hop Alliance crew will be able to harvest faster, as well as be able to take on more processing from Hop Alliance business partners.

A few of the Michigan hop farmers in the alliance who will benefit: 45th Parallel Hops (Hawks), Alway's Shady Lane Farm (Scottville), Gold Coast (Ludington), Pine Ridge (Custer), Taylor Hops (Greenville), Twisted Hops (Dexter), Twisted Bines (Farmington), and Towns (Ludington).

Tennis shares that another goal for their post-expansion harvest is to have “every variety picked, dried, pelleted, and available within 24 hours.” This window is self-imposed not only because hops are so perishable but also to capture the optimal flavor: “You can pick, dry, and then bale hops and put them in storage, which has been the norm for a century in the US,” explains Tennis. “However, to really capture and really maximize the ultimate flavor and aroma, you should pelletize as soon as you can.”

That is, unless the hops are going into wet-hopped or harvest beers. In that case, they skip the drying process and deliver them immediately to the brewery or cidery. Michigan Hop Alliance has collaborated with Stormcloud Brewing Company in Frankfort for its seasonal release of the brewery’s Harvest Tripel. “We also do wet-hopped ciders with Tandem,” he says.

Pictured: Fresh hops harvested at Michigan Hop Alliance’s Omena hopyard; fresh Michigan Fuggle from 45th Parallel Hops grown in Hawks, pelletized in Omena.