Educators from Michigan State University Extension  with support from Michigan State University AgBioResearch, and the Michigan Brewers Guild are hosting the second Annual Great Lakes Hop and Barley Conference March 16-17, at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Mich. Due to an overwhelming reception at the first annual conference last year held in Grand Rapids, a larger venue has been chosen to accommodate more attendees. An expanded trade show will also be featured. Register today!

Related: Save the date for 2016 Great Lakes Hop and Barley Conference

Register now open for the second annual Great Lakes Hop and Barley Conference

Three concurrent tracks will be offered, including beginning hop management, advanced hop management, and malting barley and malt production. The beginning hop track is for those considering hop production, the advanced hop track is for those with hops currently in production. The barley and malt track targets both malting barley and malt producers.

Participants are welcome to move between tracks to catch speakers and topics of interest. An engaging keynote, the “Beervangelist”, Fred Bueltmann, will launch the conference on Wednesday before participants break into their respective tracks. The hop tracks are packed with great presenters including Heather Darby (University of Vermont), Sam Turner (B.T. Loftus Ranches), Mary Hausbeck (Michigan State University), and Paul Matthews (SS Steiner). These dynamic speakers will cover topics including hopyard weed management, sustainable production, downy mildew management, and hop breeding.

Those participating in the barley and malt track will learn about DON management from Paul Schwarz (North Dakota State University), potential for winter barley production from Eric Stockinger (Ohio State University), and Dave Thomas will be joining us, author of The Craft Maltsters’ Handbook, presenting specifically on the evolution of malting and rise of the craft malting industry. Additional presentations will highlight malting barley quality analysis, research conducted throughout Michigan, and much more!

Wednesday evening the Michigan Brewers Guild will host a Brewer and Grower mixer highlighting beers produced throughout the Great Beer State and providing for important networking opportunities. Thursday afternoon offers a tour of MI Local, a new hop farm and processing facility located outside of Traverse City. Additional registration for this tour is required.

Registration is now live for this exciting opportunity to learn more about the quickly growing craft ingredient market – relevant for farmers, growers, processors, maltsters, educators, industry resources and craft brewers. Registration did fill prior to the 2015 conference, so be sure to register today.

To view the complete agenda, review sponsorship or vendor opportunities, or to register please visit the website.

Any questions can be directed to the conference planning committee:

Betsy Braid, [email protected], 517-884-7081 (ANR Event Services)
Ashley McFarland, [email protected], 906-439-5176 (Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center)
Erin Lizotte, [email protected], 231-946-1510 (Wexford County)
Rob Sirrine, [email protected], 231-256-9888 (Leelanau County)
Scott Graham, [email protected], 989-732-0569 (Michigan Brewers Guild)

McFarland, Lizotte and Sirrine write for Michigan State University Extension