The flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant are a bittering and preserving agent in beer.
The center is growing seven hops varieties this year, including two experimental types from North Carolina State University and the University of Florida.
Joshua O’Halloran, Los Ranchos’ agriculture program manager, said hops thrive in such northern states as Washington because of the long summer days.
The new varieties just now springing up will help show how a specially bred crop grows in southern climates.
“Next year, we’ll probably get some harvest on those and start to see how they do,” O’Halloran said. “It does affect the taste. Hops seem to be more mild down here.”