AeroFarms gets into the beer biz with Goose Island collaboration

AeroFarms is sneaking into the beer business with a partnership with Goose Island UK to launch a brew made with AeroFarms hops.

Goose Island UK and AeroFarms unveiled Hail Hydro on Sept. 22, bringing to market a session IPA made with hydroponic hops grown indoors by AeroFarms’ global headquarters in Newark.

Hail Hydro is the latest beer in Goose Island’s Impossible IPA series, a selection of beers that embrace the creation of new recipes using innovative hops and techniques. The hazy session IPA is 4.7% alcohol by volume.

AeroFarms has more than 100,000 square feet of indoor vertical farming for both commercial and R&D production at the facility, and according to the company, its methods can yield up to 390 times greater productivity annually, while using up to 95% less water and zero pesticides versus traditional field farming.

The hydroponic method allows hops to be grown anywhere in the world, at any time of the year with consistent results, and to generates higher yields with fewer resources, regardless of climate factors.

Hail Hydro itself is, according to Goose Island, “fresh and zingy.” It’s available in limited supply on the Goose Island UK Webstore.

“Hydroponically cultivated hops are an exciting prospect, and the potential innovation opportunities and sustainable benefits are exciting for the craft community,” said Joe Bevan, innovation brewer at Goose Island UK. “Brewing with the cascade was a new experience for us! We saw zingy lime, soft lemon, and a subtle resinous from the hydroponically grown hops.”

“AeroFarms is proud to have partnered with Goose Island UK and the broader Anheuser-Busch InBev team for more than a year to demonstrate our unique growing capabilities,” commented David Rosenberg, co-founder and CEO of AeroFarms, in a prepared statement

“We have succeeded in growing mature hops as well as propagating high-quality rhizomes, designed to improve field production of hops,” Rosenberg said. “It has been an incredible partnership, bringing their long-time expertise in quality brewing to our research commercialization collaboration. Together, AeroFarms’ R&D group and Goose Island UK are demonstrating the promise of a new premium product, pairing master brewing with premium hops that can be grown year-round indoors.”