March 21, 2025

405: Pete Gillespie of Garage Project and Hāpi Research Is Fighting the Forces of Homogenization

1 hour 32 minutes

Homogeneity is the name of the game in certain circles of brewing—whether it’s massive brewers who standardize their hop lots by blending before pelletizing, or it’s hop companies that blend lots to iron out highs and lows in a particular crop year.

On the other end of that spectrum is Pete Gillespie and his team at Garage Project and Hāpi Research, disrupting the collective quest for like-minded optimization while prioritizing the expression and individuality that are core to the idea of craft beer. In their brewing program—and in their partnership to pursue new hop varieties—character and unique experiences are the name of the game, and they’re putting significant investment behind the pursuit.

In this episode, Gillespie discusses:

using supporting hops to accentuate lead hop characters

the impact of pick time on hop expression

variations within single field blocks of hop varieties

the dynamic shift in Nelson Sauvin over the picking window

terroir’s impact on hop flavor and aroma

exploring diverse growing areas for hops in New Zealand

surprise impact in this year’s hops, including varieties such as Southern Cross

the inscrutable challenge and benefit of Riwaka

Hāpi Research’s investment in developing new Kiwi hop varieties

secrets of selecting Southern Hemisphere hops

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

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Cytiva (https://info.cytivalifesciences.com/sample-request-brewing.html) Protecting your beer’s highest quality is crucial to maintain its unique taste and prevent spoilage organisms, and microbiological testing plays a vital role in this process. Cytiva offers a comprehensive portfolio of laboratory filtration products designed for both lab and production-floor use.

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