5th annual Michigan Chinook Cup and Wild Card Competition

Rob Sirrine<sirrine@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

HGM hop grower members should submit Brewers Cut samples by December 15, 2021.

Chinook Cup trophy.

The 5th annual Chinook Cup and Wild Card Competition will take place at the Great Beer State Conference and Trade Show January 12-14, 2022, at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City, Michigan. This conference is a new collaboration that combines the Great Lakes Hop and Barley Conference and the Michigan Brewers Guild Annual Conference and Trade Show to bring growers and brewers together! 

Hop Growers of Michigan member growers who are interested in participating can now submit samples.

Submissions should be mailed to:

Rose Stahl
2646 W Albain Rd.
Monroe, MI. 48161

Criteria for entry

  • Submissions must be received by December 15, 2021.
  • The Chinook Cup competition is open to either grower or industry members of the Hop Growers of Michigan provided they are in good standing for the most recent production year.
  • Submissions must include a brewers cut sealed sample from 2021’s harvest AND a $20 entry fee (check made out to Hop Growers of Michigan).
  • Entry can be made for either the Chinook Cup or the Wild Card division but there can be only one (1) entry per member farm.
  • The hops must be grown in Michigan during the most recent production year.
  • A Certificate of Analysis (COA) must be included that is representative of the specimen submitted. The COA should be from an independent testing laboratory and should include, at a minimum, the Alpha and Beta acid percentages as well as the Hop Storage Index (HSI) for the specimen.

The judging and results announcement will take place Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at the Great Beer State Conference and Trade Show. Information on the competition and its history can be found on our website: hopgrowersofmichigan.com/chinook-cup/.

Modeled after the national Cascade Cup, the Michigan Chinook Cup is awarded to the Great Beer State’s best Chinook hop grower as determined by a panel of expert craft brewers and hop producers through a series of “blind” tests. The samples are judged based on aroma, appearance, and analytical test results.

Why Michigan Chinook hops? 

The Chinook hop, released in 1985, is the result of a cross between Petham Golding and a USDA male plant. Chinook are a “dual purpose” hop, used for both bittering and aroma. In contrast to Chinook grown in the Pacific northwest that are generally known for its piney, spicy, dank attributes, Michigan Chinook is a cultivar that is increasingly recognized for its citrusy, clean profile. 

Past winners

2020 Chinook Cup

2020 Wild Card

2019 Chinook Cup

  • 1st: Top Hops Farm
  • 2nd: Egypt Valley Hopyards
  • 3rd: High Five Hop Farm  

2019 Wild Card

  • 1st: Two Track Farms (Traverse 1)
  • 2nd: Dr. Hops (Comet)
  • 3rd: Strasburg Farms (Mystique)

2018 Chinook Cup

  • 1st: Top Hops Farm
  • 2nd: MI Local Hops
  • 3rd: Green Heron Hops

2018 Wild Card

  • 1st: Dog Star Hops (Crystal)
  • 2nd: Cedar Hop Farm (Sorachi Ace)
  • 3rd: High Five Hop Farm (Challenger)

2017 Chinook Cup

  • 1st: MI Local Hops
  • 2nd: Empire Hop Farms
  • 3rd: Top Hops Farm

2017 Wild Card

  • 1st: Mr. Wizard’s Hops (Neo 1)
  • 2nd: Strasburg Farms (Mystique)

Chinook Cup judges have included an impressive cast of experts from the craft brewing sector and hop growers from around the U.S., including: John Mallet, Andy Farrell, Paul Bashaw, Lou Wildschut, Danny Warner from Bell’s Brewery; Alec Mull, Jeremy Kosmicki, Founders Brewing Co.; John Stewart, Perrin Brewing Co.; Diane Gooding, Gooding Farms, ID; Bryan Wiggs, Dark Horse Brewery; Brian Confer, Storm Cloud Brewing Co.; Brandt Austin, Austin Brothers Beer Co.; Jason Perkins, Allagash Brewing; Josh Mayich, Island Hop Co.; Liam Tiernan, Townies Brewery; Scott Stuhr, Silver Spruce Brewing Co.; Chris Swersey, Brewers Association; Jon Boer, New Holland Brewing Co.; Justin Koziel, Beards Brewery; Chris O’Neill, Trevor Klimek, Paul Hammond, One Well Brewing; and Scott Fieitas, Latitude 42 Brewing Co.

Please continue to visit Michigan State University (MSU) Extension’s hop webpage or the MSU Hops News Facebook site for up to date information. 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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