The hops are growing outside of Stoker’s Brewing Company in Tamaqua, and soon they will become part of some of the microbrewery’s award-winning brews.

“It looks like it’s going to be a banner year for them,” Doug Drost, Stoker’s owner and brewmaster, said.

Drost planted six different varieties of hops at the 36 Mauch Chunk St. business’s biergarten (beer garden) in the spring of 2020.

They not only lend to the outdoor space’s beauty, they are also used in Stoker’s beers.

“Hops are a perennial plant and need something like a trellis or a fence to climb,” Drost explained. “They grow into long, twining stems known as ‘bines’ that eventually die off in the fall.”

Since the root stocks remain alive, the hops regrow each year.

“It took about two years to produce our first crop,” Drost noted.

And each year since then, the hops have taken off.

“This year, I raised the height of our hop fence’s posts and strung braided wire between them to give the bines more room to roam,” Drost said. “I finished it off with some string lights for a touch of ambience, and the hops are happy now.”

When they reach the perfect size, Drost harvests them and spreads them on screens. A small fan helps dry the hops, and then they’re vacuum-sealed and ready to use.

“Hops help define a beer’s character and personality,” he said. “They add bitterness, flavor and aroma, depending on when they are added during the brewing process.”

Drost said that the hops contain bittering alpha acids that help counteract the natural sweetness of malt, which is another ingredient used in his craft beers.

The combination, he said, creates a balanced flavor profile in the final beer.

“Aromatic oils provide complex flavors and aromas that can range from floral and fruity to earthy and spicy,” Drost said.

Stoker’s Brewing Company brews 25 beers on-site, and has won multiple awards for its brews at recent Pennsylvania Farm Shows. Its Kindling Kwad Belgian strong dark ale earned a “Best in Show” in 2024.