Deep sandy loam and a southeastern exposure on the flank of Sharon Mountain in the Northwest Corner of Litchfield County. Good for hops. We began the hopyard in 2015 and have produced high quality local hops since then.
Change is normal
We began growing hops in 2015 and have 10 years experience. We developed the production line and now have a Wolf Harvester, two oasts and a Lawson pellet mill and produce top quality hop pellets that are highly valued by local brewers and kombucha makers. We set out to grow hops with care for our land in mind using best practices and Integrated Pest Management. Demand for hoppy beer fueled a steady rise in our production and sales but in the last couple of years brewers tell us that tastes have changed and quite a few of our customers have closed their doors. With a decline in demand for hops coupled with one dryest of the dry and two wettest of the wet growing seasons affecting our yields we decided to take advantage of change.
We are currently offering nine varieties of hops grown in some of the best soils found in Connecticut. With our optimal soil and weather we are producing some unique hop characteristics in well-known varieties as well as some newer varieties that are popular with brewers. For more information on the varieties and characteristics of our hops click the HOPS tab in our menu.
Cheers to CT Beers!
Dr. James Shepherd owner of Smokedown Farm (left) pictured with brewmaster Phil Markowski of Two Roads Brewing Company at the Area Two private grand opening.
