2-3 NWR Super Bowl Beer

This is your Northwest report for Friday, February 3, I'm David Sparks and you can expect a great deal of beer to be flowing on Super Bowl Sunday. A lot of what will be consumed will have its origins in Oregon:

Before the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots kick things off, people will gather at what's probably the number one party event of the year:

  "Super Bowl is traditionally a time when people enjoy a good beer with friends, watching a great game. Here in Oregon, we expect it to be much the same except that it will probably have an Oregon twist on it and there will be more craft beverages at that event."  

 Trade manager Theresa Yoshioka of the Oregon Department of Agriculture says the state's craft brewing industry has exploded the last few years:

  "Here in Oregon, we are the number one state for craft beer brewing. We have 261 brewing operations across our state. We don't just brew beer, we enjoy beer also. We are the number one consuming state of craft beer per capita." 

 All of this growth in craft beer relies on Pacific Northwest hop production. Oregon and Washington are responsible for 90 percent of the US production of hops, the key ingredient in beer. Last year, thanks to demand from craft brewers, Oregon nearly doubled it production value of hops, which now stands at $65 million. Much of the increased acreage is due to the aroma-type hop varieties that help make Oregon craft beers so popular. So during the Super Bowl, raise a can, mug, or stein to the Oregon hop farmer who helps put the great flavor in great beers.