The Oregon Difference
Terroir distinguishes one hop growing region from another.
Terroir [ter-wahr]:
The environmental conditions, especially soil, climate, and landscape, where hops are grown that shape their unique flavor and aroma.
In the same way the wine world describes terroir as the influence of place on flavor, we believe hops carry a clear sense of where they are grown. Soil, weather, and environment all work together to create distinct hop characteristics from one region to another.
In late 2018, Coleman Agriculture and Oregon State University launched a first-of-its-kind hop terroir study. The research explores how soil, climate, and hop chemistry vary across three microregions of the Willamette Valley. It also includes sensory and brewing analysis to better understand how those differences show up in the finished beer.
Our goal is simple: to deepen understanding of hop terroir so growers can produce more expressive, high-quality crops and brewers can create their best beer. Along the way, we gain a clearer story of our soils and how to care for them well so they can continue producing for generations to come.
The unique soils found across our farms can be traced back to two distinguishable parent materials:
Missoula Flood Silts and Stratified River Alluvium.
The historic Missoula Flood Silts were created during the last Ice Age, nearly 15,000 years ago. As the glaciers started to melt, the Great Lake Missoula rushed across the western states of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This cataclysmic flood was crucial in forever changing the landscape and supplying rich and fertile soil across the Willamette Valley.
The Stratified River Alluvium soil has its origins in both the Cascade and Coastal Mountain Ranges. Sediment from these
mountains flows into the Willamette River with heavy rainfall. This new topsoil, unique to the Willamette Valley, is
carried downstream and deposited throughout the valley and onto our farmland.
Terroir Event
In August of 2019, the OSU and Coleman Terroir Team hosted a terroir research study launch party. The event took place at the Coleman Alluvial Hop Farm in Independence, Oregon.
We gave an overview of our study with a presentation and a scientific panel. Guests were able to immerse themselves in terroir by observing the soil with our lead soil scientist, identifying hop aroma profiles, and sampling unique single-hopped craft beer.
To learn more about this event, you can watch our video.
