Blumenthal visits Connecticut hops farm to discuss beer industry changes Blumenthal discusses beer industry changes with local producers

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal visited Pioneer Hops in Morris Wednesday to speak with local hops farmers and beer brewers. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal visited Pioneer Hops in Morris Wednesday to speak with local hops farmers and beer brewers. Photo: Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Blumenthal visits Connecticut hops farm to discuss beer industry changes 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

MORRIS >> U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., visited Morris Wednesday to speak with local hops farmers and brewers and assess the effects of a major merger in the industry.

Amheuser-Bush Inbev. and SABMiller were given permission to merge last year, creating the largest beer company in the world, according to a published report, and prompting Blumenthal’s visit to Pioneer Hops in Morris.

“I’m here to learn from you, but also to show the new ‘megabrew’ company that we’re watching, and we’re going to be very, very careful to stop any anti-competitive action,” Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal voiced his concerns about the potential for the new company to stifle the market for hops and distribution and crowd-out craft brewers. Hops growers and brewers, he said, are a “force multiplier” in the Connecticut economy, both by producing product and bolstering tourism.

“Hearing from them about the challenges they face in this economy is very important, because it gives me a perspective that I wouldn’t have from sitting in my office here or down in D.C.,” said Blumenthal. “If they see any negative effects (from the merger), they ought to let me know, and I want to hear from them right away.”

Representatives of local farms and breweries discussed their thoughts and concerns on the industry with Blumenthal Wednesday, including the virtues of bettering incentives for the production and use of local crops in brewing and reducing the excise tax on local brewers.

Those who attended said they were pleased that Blumenthal was taking an interest in what they do.

“We’re keen for any attention to this fledgling agricultural industry in Connecticut,” said James Shepherd of Smokedown Farm in Sharon.

“It was good to see one of our elected officials show genuine concern about what’s happening in agriculture in the state, and really what’s happening on a national level,” said Phil Markowski of Two Roads Brewing in Stratford. “He cited a very large merger of two of the largest breweries in the world that could impact the state’s small brewers, of which there are close to 60 now.”

He said it’s “refreshing” to see that elected officials are looking out for people in the industry.

“It’s great to know that there’s somewhere in higher places looking out for us — at least knowing that we’re here,” said Barry Labendz of Kent Falls Brewing Company. “It goes a long way.”

Pioneer Hops was founded by Doug Weber, a Westport resident, after he left the media industry to farm hops and happened to find a portion of South Farms in Morris available.

The first harvest produced 1,900 pounds of hops last year, which was sold exclusively to Connecticut craft breweries. He said he expects to double that this year and hopes to expand to an additional 15 acres in the next six months.

It would be a problem for his business and other hops growers if the market was stifled, he said.

“The hops industry in Connecticut is a nascent industry, and any harm that can be done by anti-competitive practices that affects the brewing business would be a bad thing for the investment that we’re making in this hop farm,” said Weber. “This a serious commitment to a product that is exclusively being sold to the 50 or so brewers that exist in the state of Connecticut, and if they have pressures that are brought on by consolidation... that is going to be a bad thing for them and an even worse thing for us.”