3°4 



Report on the Hop Industry. [august, 



various counties of England, and describe the different varieties 

 and qualities of hops, the cost of production, labour, and picking, 

 and the method of drying, pocketing, and marketing. 



Cold Storage. — Among the influences which have co-operated 

 to the detriment of the English industry, special importance is 

 attached to the system of cold storage which has been introduced 

 during the last ten or fifteen years. 



It is pointed out that the advent of cold storage has effected 

 an adjustment between years of plethora and years of scarcity, 

 and has thus had a levelling effect on prices. Hops stored in 

 the ordinary way deteriorate by reason of the essential oil 

 resinising, by oxidation of the preservative resins, and by 

 reduction in the amount of tannin. By means of cold storage 

 these changes are very materially retarded, and, indeed, hops 

 so treated after even four or five years show very little reduction 

 in their brewing qualities. Similar results are said to be obtain- 

 able by keeping hops unexposed to air. 



The Committee state that there can be no doubt that the 

 introduction and rapid extension of the cold storage system 

 has had a potent influence on the market. Brewers now do 

 not have to purchase new hops in September and October for 

 " freshening up," as was formerly the case. Such purchases, 

 Mr. Hanbury informed the Committee, are now " done away 

 with almost entirely, owing to cold storage ; the best cold 

 storage hops that are put away the year before are taken out 

 in September and October and found to be perfectly fresh, 

 and they answer that purpose." The brewer is thus, as it 

 were, enabled to use a new hop all the year round, with the 

 maximum preservative properties. The same witness illu- 

 strated the effect of cold storage on prices by the following 

 experience, which he related. He said : " Two years ago, 

 when hops were very cheap, the brewers bought large quantities 

 and put them into cold storage. In my own firm then our cold 

 store was quite full. We then took another one and also 

 filled that up, and eventually we had to put hops away elsewhere 

 as well. So that brewers took advantage of a cheap year and 

 bought largely and put the hops away with the view of safe- 

 guarding themselves against high prices in years to come." 



Other Influences. — In addition to cold storage, and apart 

 from any question of foreign imports, the Committee think 



