Adnams at the Charles Faram Hop Walk

The Adnams brewing team recently had the pleasure of joining fellow brewers and suppliers at the annual Charles Faram Hop Walk—a highlight of the brewing calendar and a unique opportunity to connect with the very hops that shape our beers. Connor Bartlett, one of our brewers, report on the visit:

Behind the Scenes at Charles Faram
Our journey began with a tour of Charles Faram’s processing and storage facility. As one of the UK’s leading hop merchants, Charles Faram sits at the forefront of hop innovation and supply. Walking through their site, we witnessed first-hand the meticulous care taken to process and store hops, ensuring quality and freshness from farm to fermenter.

Visiting Hawkins Farm: Home of Harlequin
We then travelled to Hawkins Farm, renowned for its high-quality hops—especially Harlequin, which features in Lazy SIPA and Lighthouse. They also cultivate a wide range of experimental varieties as part of Charles Faram’s breeding programme. We were given the chance to inspect and assess some of these new varieties while discussing the challenges of developing commercially viable hops.

New Varieties and Old Traditions at Stocks Farm
Our hop walk continued at Stocks Farm, where we tasted and evaluated several promising new hop varieties in beer. Alongside other brewers, we helped Charles Faram decide which varieties to advance for further development. No visit to Stocks Farm would be complete without sampling their delicious apples—a nod to the rich agricultural heritage that underpins hop growing.

Weather, Yields, and the Challenge of Climate
This year’s growing season was marked by unusually dry weather, leading to significantly lower yields on some farms. A late spell of rain helped improve the harvest slightly, but overall yields remained below expectations. These conditions sparked important conversations about the future of UK hop farming, particularly the need for emergency irrigation to safeguard crops during extreme weather events.

Innovation for a Changing Climate
Climate change presents both challenges and opportunities for British hop growers. Charles Faram’s development programme is focused on breeding new hop varieties that are not only flavourful and distinctive but also disease-resistant and better adapted to the UK’s evolving climate. Interestingly, some varieties may even benefit from these changing conditions.

Sustainability and the Future
Sustainability was a recurring theme throughout the day. We learned about a new PhD project funded by Charles Faram, exploring the use of biochar to enhance soil nutrient and moisture retention. Currently, hop waste is composted and used on other crops to prevent disease spread, but converting it into biochar could offer even greater benefits for both yield and sustainability.

Building Connections
Beyond the fields and the science, the hop walk was a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow brewers and suppliers. Sharing experiences, ideas, and a few pints reminded us that brewing is as much about community as it is about craft.

We left inspired by the innovation and resilience of British hop growers—and excited to bring these stories and flavours back to our own brews at Adnams.