WHITEFISH - Glacier Hops Ranch in Whitefish received the National Small Business Exporter of the Year Award for exporting hops in the traditional form as well as Hopzoil.
Glacier Hops Ranch began growing hops in 2012 to test how the unique Montana climate would work for producing hops.
“But business has a way of changing and taking its own course. So today what we do is, we supply processed hops for breweries around the world. And we also produce a hop extract that we call Hopzoil,” said Glacier Ranch Hops President and CEO Tom Britz.
Hopzoil is a pure essential oil made from field-fresh hops that are steam distilled rather than the traditional drying and pelletizing of the hops. “There's a more intense flavor and aroma with fresh hops than dried hops. And that's pretty much the magic of our hop extract,” Britz explained.
Since Glacier Hops Ranch 2016, the company has exported to 52 countries around the world. While some of the hops the company uses come from Washington state, they also work locally with Flathead Valley Hops in Kalispell.
“For us, it's super awesome. Like a great accomplishment so it's really exciting. So like, little Montana, we've grown to hit almost all the continents right now. And it's only been one year so it's really exciting. I think it's got a lot more momentum. And it's gonna keep happening, keep growing and growing. So it’s a great feeling,” said Hunter Riddle, Flathead Valley Hops Owner.
Not only is Glacier Hops Ranch winning the national exporter award of the year, they also won the Montana and Rocky Mountain gegion exporter awards.
“And then we after that then we found out that we are winning the national SB exporter of the year and that was just a humbling experience. I don't even think it's fully hit me or any of the team here yet,” said Britz.
