is the second largest hop-growing area in the United States. The valley lies between the Coast Range and the Cascade Mountains, some 70 km (40 miles) south of Portland, Oregon. It is one of the most verdant agricultural areas in the world, producing not only hops but also more than 250 different agricultural commodities. Among wine lovers, the Willamette Valley is well known for growing excellent pinot noir. Situated at a latitude of approximately 45° north, this region’s climate is similar to that of the Hallertau hop-growing region in southern Germany, although the Willamette Valley has warmer winters. It offers many conditions that are ideal for hop cultivation. These include long days with 15.5 h of sunlight during the summer months, moderate summer temperatures with an average high of 28°C (82°F), temperate winters with an average low of 1°C (34°F), and consistent rainfall throughout the fall, winter, and spring, but very light rainfall during the summer, when precipitations averages about 1 cm (0.5 in) per month. Total rainfall for the year averages about 100 cm (40 in).

Although the climate in the Willamette Valley is ideally suited for hops cultivation, especially of delicate aroma varieties, many hop growers have implement some form of irrigation as a safety backup. The region produces almost 20% of all US hops, compared with about 75% from the Yakima Valley in the state of Washington and almost 10% from Idaho. Among the roughly 20 hop varieties that grow in the region, Cascade, Glacier, Golding, Millennium, Mount Hood, Nugget, Sterling, Super Galena, and Willamette are perhaps the best known. The most prevalent varieties are Nugget and Willamette, which are planted on about 70% of the total acreage.

Thomas ShellhammerandVal Peacock