Microbrewers line up for siblings’ Arizona-grown hops

Arizona will soon have its first truly homegrown beer.

BY JIM CROSS

Sep 5, 2012, 6:28 AM Updated: 6:28 am

PHOENIX — Arizona will soon have its first truly homegrown beer.

A pair of southern Arizona sisters have become the first people to commercially grow hops, one of the chief ingredients in beer, in the state.

Most of the nation’s hop crops come from Colorado and the Pacific Northwest. Add Sonoita, where Shannon Zouzoulas and Megan Haller opened Arizona Hops and Vines in March.

They were planting grapevines when the idea hit them: why not see how hops would grow in the Arizona? They planted a half-acre of hops and will increase that to three acres next year.

“We are growing them, there’s been crazy interest because they’re growing so well and we didn’t think they would take off to the degree that they did,” said Zouzoulas.

Arizona beer makers are lining up for the hops. Borderlands in Tucson ordered the first batch and Four Peaks and San Tan in the Valley are also showing interest.

“Arizona has a thriving brewing business,” said Zouzoulas. “Everybody is calling us to try out the hops and we want to support home brewers too.”