For today’s episode of the Let’s Meet For a Beer Podcast, I met up with Ty Hinton – Founder of Sydewynder Hops, and Vice President of the Alberta Hops Producers Association. We discuss his experience in the craft beer community that led him to his current venture of growing hops locally, and what he thinks the future of hops in Alberta can be.
After HIgh School, Ty moved to California to play baseball and study Motion Pictures and Television in Chico. Chico is also home of Sierra Nevada Brewing (considered by many as the pioneers of hoppy craft beer) which inspired his passion for beer at a young age. After moving back to Canada, Ty had various jobs in the beer industry before getting into farming, which he says “allowed me to understand that not just any hop will do.”
Hop farming is not common in Alberta and Ty understands that there will be challenges in creating a viable local industry. “Right now we can really only provide brewers with fresh hops, meaning they can only use them in September.” To overcome this challenge, Ty is hoping to grow so that he can justify the purchase of equipment that will allow him to supply brewers with his hops year-round.
We discuss mentors in his life, including his dad who “worked extremely hard but was always there when I needed him”. He also talks about his old baseball coach who taught him to “improve on one aspect of your game everyday” – which is the advice he applies to his business on a daily basis.
I hope you enjoy the conversation.
Alberta Beer Festivals: website | twitter | instagram
Ty Hinton / Sidewynder Hops : website | twitter | instagram | LinkedIn
