Establishing agronomic performance, economic feasibility, and sensory quality of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) as a new specialty crop in Oklahoma

Growing interest in locally sourced craft beer ingredients has increased demand for regionally produced hop and created opportunities for cultivation outside the Pacific Northwest (PNW). This research evaluated the feasibility of hop production in Oklahoma through three complementary studies: field production, economic analysis, and sensory evaluation. Eight hop cultivars (‘Cascade’, ‘Chinook’, ‘Mt. Rainier’, ‘Sterling’, ‘Tahoma’, ‘Newport’, ‘Willamette’, ‘Zeus’) were grown for three seasons (2022-2024) in Perkins, Oklahoma (latitude 35.97) to assess survival, growth, yield, and bitter acid concentration. ‘Sterling’ showed poor establishment (10% survival) and was replaced with ‘Comet’ in 2023. In 2024, α-acid levels reached values similar to the PNW, ranging from 6 (‘Tahoma’) to 17% (‘Zeus’). Fresh hops yields in 2024 ranged from 102 to 466 kg ha⁻¹, with ‘Zeus’ (466 kg ha⁻¹), ‘Cascade’ (447 kg ha⁻¹), and ‘Tahoma’ (429 kg ha⁻¹) producing the greatest yields. ‘Willamette’ did not produce a measurable harvest in 2024. Yields were below PNW values but aligned with reports from other southern hop-growing regions. An enterprise analysis compared wooden and steel trellis systems at different heights (3.6 and 6.1 m) and evaluated hand and mechanized harvest scenarios across a 40-year period modeled on 0.4 ha of land. Across all scenarios, low wooden trellis, whole leaf dry hops, and mechanized harvests reduced capital investment and indicated a feasible entry point for new producers. For sensory analysis, nine trained panelists evaluated ten aroma descriptors in whole dried hops and beers brewed with the hops using Oklahoma-grown ‘Cascade’, ‘Zeus’, and ‘Chinook’ (2024 harvest) in comparison to ‘CTZ’ (2024 harvest, Yakima Valley, WA). Oklahoma-grown hops had higher herbal, green, and earthy attributes and lower citrus, spicy, and fruity expression than ‘CTZ’. Beers brewed with Oklahoma hops had higher citrus, creamy, fruity, and floral attributes than the raw hops, where ‘CTZ’ was perceived to have higher floral, citrus, creamy, and spicy, with less woody, earthy, and green attributes. These findings provide an initial reference for agronomic potential and economic feasibility of hop production, and sensory character of Oklahoma-grown hops.