from my LHBS. Is there a shortage ...at least for the homebrewing community?
Hop Pre-Order Info
We've been working hard to get you your pre-order hops. They are still in the pipeline and will be headed your way. If you take note, this year's hops are not available at any homebrew stores. If they are claiming they are this year's hops they are passing off last year's crop as the newest.
L.D. Carlson is the only distributor in the U.S. that handles the Hop Union grown and packaged product, and they have not received any of this year's crop.
There has been a buyout. Hop Union is now part of Y.C. Hops. In the transition, the inability or lack of desire to fulfill the homebrewing market with timely service and a volume of hops that would satisfy the demand for their product has been obvious. We have now been shuffled back another month. Your hops will be on their way, but we can not get a specific date from anyone, only that they will come. A loose estimate is 4-6 weeks.
If the new timeline is too great of a wait, we completely understand, we are frustrated also, and will refund anyone that requests. Keep in mind, our allocation of hops has been cut by 75% this year, and your pre-orders are the majority of that allocation. We will most likely be sold out of specific pre-order hops all year. Your pre-orders make up that much volume of what we will receive. There is no guarantee you will get your hands on these hops if you do request a refund, and they will surely be at a much higher price point caused by this scarcity.
It is a real shame when the end consumer, the die hard beer lovers and homebrewers are the last to be served.
Sorry for the wait,