Ezra Meeker’s Golden Rules for Hop Success
The legendary pioneer shares his controversial methods for baling hops hot to secure the crucial foreign market.
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Ezra Meeker, drawing on 25 years of experience in the Washington hop industry, warns against the common practice of storing hops to 'toughen' before baling. He advocates for baling directly from the kiln while hot, arguing that moisture is an element of decay and that speed is essential to maintaining quality. Meeker warns that the failure of growers to meet the standards of the London market, which demands whole, uncrushed hops in light bales, could lead to ruinous prices and the destruction of the Coast's hop industry.
“Moisture is an element of decay.”
Ezra Meeker was a pivotal figure in Washington history, and his hop expertise once dominated the regional economy. This piece reflects the era's focus on international agricultural competition, an early version of the Pacific Northwest’s global trade reliance.
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