Southern Section: British Hop Quality and Farming with Nature

Join the Southern Section for an afternoon at Parsonage Farm in Kent, exploring the quality, variety and potential of UK-grown hops.

Although UK grower numbers have reduced in recent years, many remaining growers are increasing acreage and planting new varieties that offer a broad range of flavours and bitterness. These hops are suitable not only for English ales, but for a wide variety of beer styles, including lagers, NIPAs, stouts and low/no alcohol beers.

While costs remain a challenge, quality continues to be excellent thanks to investment in areas such as cold storage, dry matter testing, plant health and crop condition monitoring. Attendees will have the opportunity to rub hops, taste beers made with these varieties, and see what British growers have to offer.

This event will again be kindly hosted by Antony Rudgard-Redsell at his Parsonage Farm in Kent. Speaking at the event is Ed Kentish Barnes of Hopsteiner UK, with event support from committee member Russell Falconer.

This will be an outdoor event but as this is an operating farm and beer will be available, we ask that you don’t bring children or pets.

Schedule

• 1PM - 2PM: Arrival and buffet lunch

• 2PM - 3:30PM: Hop Tour and Harvest which will include a visit to plantings of new varieties and see new Wolf picking machines and Oast House

• 3:30PM - 4:30PM: Talk - global hop crop update, Global Hop Update from Ed Kentish Barnes and updates from EHL Growers on how UK hop growers are stepping up to support by growing both traditional and new varieties.

• 4:30PM - 5PM: Depart

Transport and Accommodation:

• By car – there will be parking available in the field across the road from the farm office

• By rail – Faversham train station is a 5 minute taxi ride away. Trains depart from London Victoria, London St Pancras International and Cannon Street to Faversham. We might be able to provide some return transport to the station at the end of the day, but when arriving there is a well-stocked taxi rank outside the station

• Accommodation – there are a number of hotels around Faversham and Canterbury for those wishing to stop over.

Green Hops – There will be an opportunity to buy green hops  which have been picked and cleaned and packed in pokes, for ease of transport and addition back at your brewery the next morning.

Why You Should Attend:

• View the 2026 hops with a talk on the International hop harvest

• Get a chance to rub and evaluate UK hop varieties

• Meet fellow peers in the brewing industry

Tickets: 60 places maximum.

Free to attend.

There is no cost to the day, but it is important that we know numbers to organise catering and beer. We would therefore ask that you make a booking via Eventbrite and notify us if you are unable to attend.

Booking deadline: 8 September at 11:59PM.