Can hops grow in India? What growers in the hills have found
Nearly every hop in Indian craft beer is imported. People often ask why, given how much else grows here. The answer lies in day length, winter cold and the economics of a crop that needs a lot of care.
What a hop plant needs
Hops are perennial climbing plants. Each spring they send up shoots from an underground rootstock, climb several metres up strings or wires through the summer and produce cones in late summer. In winter the top growth dies back and the plant rests.
Two conditions matter most. The first is a cold winter rest, which most hop varieties need to grow and flower well the following year. The second is day length. Hops grow fast during the long days of early summer, then flower as the days begin to shorten. That pattern suits latitudes roughly between 35 and 55 degrees, which is where the big growing regions sit: Bavaria, the Czech Republic, Kent, the Pacific Northwest of the United States and parts of New Zealand and Australia in the south.
Why the plains do not work
Most of India lies between about 8 and 35 degrees north. Summer days on the plains are not long enough to drive strong vegetative growth. There is also no proper winter rest. Plants may survive as a garden curiosity but tend to produce few, small cones.
Heat and humidity add to the problem. Hops are prone to fungal diseases such as downy mildew, which spread in warm, wet weather. The monsoon is close to the worst possible condition for a hop yard.
The hills are a different story
The northern Himalayan regions sit closer to the right latitude and have real winters. Jammu and Kashmir and the high valleys of Himachal Pradesh, around 32 to 34 degrees north, are the parts of India most often mentioned for hops.
There have been attempts to grow hops in these areas over the decades, including in Kashmir and in the Lahaul valley of Himachal. The general experience reported is that hops can grow and produce cones there, but yields and quality have struggled to compete with established hop regions. Commercial cultivation has not lasted at scale.
Small growers and homebrewers in the hills still experiment with plants today. If you live at altitude in the north, growing a few plants for your own brewing is a realistic hobby.
Why it is hard to make hops pay
Even where hops grow, a commercial hop farm is a big investment. Plants climb trellises five or more metres high, which need poles, wires and labour every season. Harvesting has to be done in a short window. The cones must be dried carefully within hours of picking to stop them spoiling. Then they need cold storage and, usually, pelletising.
Global hop growers have decades of breeding, specialised machinery and established buyers. A new region has to compete on price and quality from day one. For most Indian breweries, importing hops from established regions and keeping them cold is simply more reliable. Our guide to sourcing malt and hops in India covers how that works.
Research on hops at lower latitudes
Outside India, researchers have tried to grow hops closer to the equator. Work in places such as Florida has tested supplemental lighting to extend day length, mimicking the long summer days hops expect. Growers in parts of Brazil have also tried hops.
These trials show it can be done, with effort and cost. Whether it ever makes commercial sense in India is an open question that depends on varieties, technology and how much brewers would pay for a local hop.
Growing a plant for fun
If you want to try, you will need a rhizome or young plant, which can be hard to bring into India because of plant import rules. Check the rules before ordering from abroad.
Plant in full sun with well-drained soil, give the bine a tall string to climb and water regularly in dry weather. Expect a modest crop in the first year. Even a handful of fresh cones is a lovely thing to smell. You can use them in a small batch of homebrew. Our guide to hop varieties for beginners describes what the main varieties should taste like.
What this means in your glass
Almost every hoppy beer you drink in India is made with hops grown thousands of kilometres away, shipped cold and stored in a freezer. That is part of why fresh hop character is precious here. It is also why the cold chain matters so much to Indian brewers.
Common questions
Are any hops grown commercially in India?
Hops have been trialled in Jammu and Kashmir and in Himachal Pradesh, but commercial cultivation has not lasted at scale. Almost all hops used in India are imported.
Why do hops need long days?
Hops grow rapidly during long early summer days and flower as days shorten. That cycle suits latitudes roughly between 35 and 55 degrees.
Can I grow hops at home in India?
In the northern hills a few plants can grow and produce cones. On the plains, heat, humidity and short days make it very difficult.
