# Behind The Scenes At The NZ Hop Harvest

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-crafty-pint-podcast-6968224/behind-the-scenes-at-the-nz-hop-harvest
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-crafty-pint-podcast-6968224/behind-the-scenes-at-the-nz-hop-harvest.md
Podcast: [The Crafty Pint Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-crafty-pint-podcast-6968224)
Published: 2026-03-25T13:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://zencastr.com/z/fGwLUUZ3
Audio file: https://redirect.zencastr.com/r/episode/69c39cbfe02946a5ddb6d8ac/size/95526189/audio-files/63f467f97c4fbbc9318cd276/854068f3-16cb-4b0a-891a-531a81bb94b8.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-crafty-pint-podcast-6968224/episodes/behind-the-scenes-at-the-nz-hop-harvest
Duration seconds: 3980

## Resource

"The Kiwi hop industry has really focused on what flavours people are chasing in their beers." Demand for New Zealand's hops has been soaring in recent years [https://craftypint.com/news/3623/choice-az-the-rise-of-kiwi-hops], with old varieties revitalised, new ones hitting a sweet spot in the current market, and innovative products coming thick and fast. While in the Nelson region for the 2026 harvest, The Crafty Pint team visited a number of farms and processing facilities, recording interviews as we went. The aim was to capture a snapshot not just of this crucial time of year for growers, but also various facets of the industry. This episode features three guests, starting with Andrew Sutherland of Oasthouse Hops, a farmer who switched from wine to hops around a decade ago. We talk terroir and timing, the intense nature of managing two farms at harvest, growing experimental hops as part of NZ Hops Bract Brewing Programme, and his love for Nelson Sauvin. Next up is Lauren Yap, who started out brewing in Portland, Oregon, switched between wine and beer for a while, then ended up in New Zealand. These days, she leads all things quality and innovation at Clayton Hops [https://craftypint.com/business/1382/clayton-hops], one of the country's largest growers, trialling new hops on their tiny but hi-tech pilot system, assisting their sales team and brewers, and when we rocked up, fixing a forklift... Wrapping things up is Dave Dunbar, another American who married a Kiwi and ended up in the Nelson region. He's the CEO of Freestyle Hops [https://craftypint.com/news/2933/the-collaborators-freestyle-hops], which has been at the forefront when it comes to innovation and experimentation as they seek new flavours and aromas from existing varietals, explore how different hops perfo…

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## Transcript

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