Hop contracting is an agreement between a brewer and a hop supplier (like Hopsteiner) to grow or source a set amount of hops at a set price for future delivery—usually one to five years out. Hop contracting is a forward-buying deal that guarantees you’ll get the hops you need, when you need them, at an agreed-upon price.
For growers, hop contracting allows for planned acreage, forecasted demand, and investment in infrastructure. Long-term contracts create the financial stability needed to innovate, maintain quality, and adapt to changing market conditions. Through responsible contracting, brewers directly support the continued advancement of the hop industry — from breeding and research to environmental stewardship.
For brewers, hop contracting allows for greater control of pricing and inventory. Instead of depending on the spot market, where pricing and availability fluctuate, contracts ensure consistency and reliability.
Key advantages include:
Stable pricing: Protecting margins by locking in costs ahead of time
Reliable supply: Guaranteed access to specific varieties, including limited or high-demand hops
On top of stabilized pricing and reliable supply access, Hopsteiner offers a transparent and flexible contracting process designed to meet the needs for breweries of all sizes.
Stable pricing + No upfront payments required at signing
Reliable supply + Access to hops from the U.S.A, Europe, and the Southern Hemisphere
Consistent quality: Hand-selecting your contracted hops during harvest for optimal quality
Flexibility: Ability to adjust your contracts as your brewing needs evolve with options for leaf, pellet, CO₂ extract, and advanced products like Salvo™ and SalvoPlus™.
Access to innovation: Be among the first to trial new experimental varieties from our proprietary breeding program.
We also invite contracting brewers to join us in Yakima during hop harvest to visit the farms, meet the growers, and hand-select their hops. Seeing the fields and understanding how your hops are grown and packaged provides a unique level of insight into quality, process, and partnership.
Hopsteiner’s operations are certified under third-party auditing such as GlobalGAP, ISO:9000, and several other top-tier accredited institutions. We continue to invest in advanced processing technologies and breeding programs that focus on quality, efficiency, and environmental responsibility.
For more than 175 years, Hopsteiner has been rooted in farming. As a sixth-generation, family-owned company, we understand that great beer begins long before it reaches the brewhouse. It starts with the soil, the plants, and the people who tend them.
At Hopsteiner, we view contracting as more than a transaction — it’s a long-term collaboration. Our sales and technical teams are dedicated to helping brewers make informed decisions, optimize product use, and plan for future success.
Together, we can build a more stable, sustainable, and reliable hop industry — one that benefits both the people who grow hops and the brewers who turn them into something extraordinary.
To learn more about hop contracting opportunities, visit Hopsteiner.com or contact our team today.