Russian brewers take courses in hop growing in Chuvashia

The intricacies of hop cultivation and national brewing traditions are studied at the Chuvash Agrarian University by specialists from a famous Russian brewing company. The university has started courses on hop growing.
“To produce 90% of the country’s hops, to create a unique laboratory for crop analysis, to be the only manufacturers of domestic hop harvesters in the country - this is a significant contribution that our organizations make to Russia’s import independence in hop growing,” notes the Deputy Prime Minister,Minister of Agriculture of Chuvashia Sergei Artamonov.
16 employees improve their professional level through training. Brewers are also thinking about growing “green gold” for their production in the republic.
For now it’s just a theory. Course participants learn the basics of growing, cultivating and processing hops.
“They, of course, know how to brew beer , but the issue of providing raw materials is acute, so they came to us to get acquainted with their competencies; they want not to depend on foreign suppliers and raw materials,” said Nikolai Pushkarenko, dean of the engineering faculty of the Chuvash State Agrarian University.
The students visited hop-growing enterprises in the Urmar and Tsivilsky districts, learned the basics of plant selection and genetics, how to dry and process it, how to save it from pests, and underwent practical training in the laboratory of the competence center of the agricultural university - extracting essential oils and diagnosing pathogens.
“We were able to go through the entire technology of growing hops, we saw a lot of equipment that has no analogues,” said Vladimir Sukhonin, HEAD of the art projects group of the brewing company, Tula.
The training is conducted by specialists from the Competence Center “Chuvashia - the center of hop production” on the basis of the agricultural university. The courses are in demand and are being held for the fourth time. 67 specialists from 17 regions of the country have already improved their qualifications. The brewery has its own interests here. Moreover, the plans are long-term.
“The brewing company is interested in the development of hop growing in RUSSIA, we are making great efforts to this, we plan to grow hops ourselves,” said Vladimir Sukhonin.
“The company plans to establish hop fields here in Chuvashia, act as an investor and increase the area to 120 hectares,” said Nikolai Pushkarenko, dean of the engineering faculty of the Chuvash Agrarian University.
So now the plant’s specialists are looking forward to the start of the hop cultivation season - they plan to return to Chuvashia in the summer.