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In a craft beer market saturated with industrial standards, giving your recipes a true identity is the challenge every professional brewer faces.
New Zealand (NZ) hops are globally renowned for their unique aromatic profile, finesse and complexity. However, for a professional brewery, securing lots of impeccable quality with full traceability from the other side of the world can sometimes feel like an obstacle course.
This is why we developed a unique, human‑scale supply chain. Discover the story and technical expertise behind our exclusive lots in our catalogue of professional hops sourced directly from New Zealand.
1. The story of a unique supply chain: From Pikimai soil to your kettle
At Rolling Beers, 99% of our New Zealand hop volumes come from one single independent operation: the Pikimai Hops farm. Founded in 2017 in the heart of New Zealand’s most fertile terroirs, this family‑run, human‑scale farm chose absolute quality over mass yield.
Our partnership with them is unique because it is built on a triangular, trust‑based relationship via Jordan (PikNZell). Present from the farm’s very first harvest in 2018, Jordan has become far more than an intermediary: he is the official and exclusive partner of the farm for the French market. Every year, during harvest season, Jordan travels physically to Pikimai. He actively participates in harvesting, technical decisions and the selection of the finest lots. This total immersion is what allows us to guarantee hops with exceptional freshness and unprecedented traceability, without any opaque industrial middlemen.
2. A rigorous processing method to preserve essential oils
The strength of Pikimai hops also lies in the extreme care given to cone handling immediately after cutting. The qualitative leap of a professional‑grade hop is determined in the hours following harvest:
- Immediate mechanical sorting: Right after field harvest, hop bines pass through a high‑precision sorter that cleanly separates vegetal matter (stems, leaves) from the precious lupulin‑rich cones.
- Controlled low‑temperature drying: Temporarily stored in stabilisation bins, the cones are then dried in a dedicated low‑temperature kiln. This technical choice lengthens processing time but prevents “burning” highly volatile essential oils.
- Moisture homogenisation: Before being pelletised or bagged, cones rest for 24 hours in a dedicated conditioning area. This crucial step equalises internal moisture and allows the product to breathe, locking in its organoleptic properties before vacuum‑sealing.
3. Pikimai’s gems: Profiles and technical strengths
The New Zealand varieties grown at Pikimai stand out for their remarkable finesse and versatility (clean bitterness at the start of boil, explosive fruit in whirlpool or dry hopping). Here are the two flagship varieties of our partnership:
| Pikimai Variety | Major Aromatic Descriptors | Professional Brewing Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Motueka | A true bitter‑orange candy, intense bursts of fresh lime zest and tropical citrus. | Exceptional in Single Hop, Modern Lagers, NEIPA and all summer craft beers seeking a sharp, fresh aromatic punch. |
| NZ Cascade (Taiheke) | A complex lemon spectrum: fresh zest, marmalade, candied lemon and tangy candy notes. More refined than its American cousin. | Ideal for revisiting your American Pale Ales (APA) or West Coast IPAs with superior aromatic elegance and brightness. |
Rolling Beers Technical Team Insight
Highlight the NZ story and finesse on your labels! Working with hops from a short, independent supply chain like Pikimai / PikNZell is a powerful marketing argument for craft beer consumers, who are increasingly sensitive to traceability.
Beyond the exceptional aromas these varieties bring to your brewhouse, don’t hesitate to mention the farm’s origin on your technical sheets and labels. It ensures you present a product with soul, a strong human story, and a profile that stands radically apart from global industrial production.
Have a technical question about our hops or need a quote?