In recent decades, England's hop production has been central to the country's brewing heritage. Yet in 2025, things have taken a dramatic turn, with the country's hop acreage now stands at fewer than 1,000 acres, spread across a mere 45 farms, a far cry from the 70,000 acres in operation during the 1870s.

This steep decline stems from a combination of factors. The booming popularity of imported lagers and keg-style beers has led to a sharp drop - around 30% - in cask ale sales since 2020, diminishing demand for traditional English hop varieties like East Kent Goldings and Fuggles.

Alongside this, brewing sectors have been squeezed by rising production costs and increasing brewery closures, further weakening the domestic demand for local hops.

For hop farmers, the spike in operational costs and others threats, not least disease susceptibility, have increasingly made hop cultivation unviable. Some farmers have already abandoned varietals known for their heritage and resilience.

However, hope persists, with breeders now developing disease-resistant flavour-rich new varieties, including Jester, Harlequin and Olicana, which are better adapted to modern conditions and offer homegrown flavour complexity.

A number of forward-thinking British breweries have begun incorporating these new varietals in their beers, helping to boost demand and support emerging hop growers.

Still, unless the trend reverses, England risks losing not just agriculture, but cultural heritage, and with it the distinct profiles of traditional cask ales.