How to Read the USDA Hop Stocks Report — September vs March Stocks, Dealers, Growers and Brewers
USDA NASS Hop Stocks (September 18, 2026): U.S. hop stocks on September 1, 2026 were 105 million pounds, down 9% from 116 million; dealers and growers 86.0 million, brewers 19.0 million.
Key figures (Hop Stocks, September 2026)
As of 3 November 2026, 00:45 KST; most recently published report: Hop Stocks from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), with U.S. hop stocks held by growers, dealers and brewers on September 1, 2026 and earlier March 1 and September 1 dates. The publication listing confirms the September 18, 2026 release; the NASS release-day page lists March 16 and September 18, 2026 for this report; the publication page describes the release as biannual and showed no next date when checked at 00:45 KST; the sources used give no time of day. Primary source: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/796065/hops0926.txt[1][2][3]
| Indicator (United States hop stocks, 1,000 pounds) | Previous (same date of 2025) | Current (2026) | Change vs previous | Change vs year ago: same as previous (same stock date) | Evidence type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total stocks, September 1 | 116,000 | 105,000 | down 9% (published); -9.5% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published change: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Held by dealers and growers, September 1 | 95,000 | 86,000 | -9.5% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Held by brewers, September 1 | 21,000 | 19,000 | -9.5% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Total stocks, March 1 | 169,000 | 147,000 | -13.0% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
Comparison basis: levels are as published in thousands of pounds, including equivalent pounds of dry bale hops held as extract or pellets; the text rounds them (105,000 thousand becomes 105 million). The published change is a whole percentage; this page's calculated changes for the selected rows are rounded half up to one decimal. Each row compares the same stock date a year apart, so the previous and year-ago columns are the same comparison. The report, publication page and release-day page are all from USDA and count as one source.[1]
In three lines
1. The NASS Hop Stocks report gives U.S. hop inventories held by dealers and growers and by brewers on March 1 and September 1.
2. On September 1, 2026, stocks totaled 105 million pounds, down 9% from 116 million a year earlier.
3. Dealers and growers held 86.0 million pounds and brewers 19.0 million.[1]
What the report says (in NASS's words)
"The inventory of hops held by growers, dealers, and brewers on September 1, 2026 totaled 105 million pounds, down 9 percent from September 1, 2025 stocks inventory of 116 million pounds." "Stocks held at dealer and grower locations on September 1, 2026 totaled 86.0 million pounds." "Stocks held by brewers totaled 19.0 million pounds."[1]
Where the data come from. "Grower surveys are conducted in the three estimating States (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) to collect stocks of hops held by all known growers." "All known hop dealers across the United States are contacted to collect stocks held." "Additionally, contacts are made to collect stocks held by the largest brewers in the United States."[1]
Reading in pairs
September vs March. March 1, 2026 stocks were 147,000 thousand pounds and September 1, 2026 stocks 105,000, 28.6% lower (this page's calculation), and the same pattern appears in 2024 and 2025. Because stocks differ by time of year in every year shown, comparisons in this page use the same stock date a year apart.[1]
Dealers and growers vs brewers. Both groups fell 9.5% from September 1, 2025, and brewers held 18.1% of total stocks in both years (this page's calculations). NASS says it contacts the largest U.S. brewers; the report does not specify how stocks at other brewers are represented in the estimate.[1]
Rounded levels vs the text. Every level in the table ends in 000 thousand pounds, and the text gives totals in millions (105, 116) and in tenths of a million for the components (86.0, 19.0). In this report, no statement of the rounding used in the table is provided.[1]
Revision and error. "Hop stocks are subject to revision the following estimating period and again in the following year's Hop Stocks report." "No revisions to these years will be made after that date." So the September 1, 2025 level of 116,000 is as printed in this report and the 2026 levels can change in the next estimating period and in next year's report under that policy. On non-sampling errors: "These errors cannot be measured directly, but are minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness." In this report, no numeric error measure is provided.[1]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
U.S. hop stocks held by growers, dealers and brewers on September 1, 2026 totaled 105 million pounds, down 9 percent from 116 million pounds a year earlier.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Hop stocks held at dealer and grower locations on September 1, 2026 totaled 86.0 million pounds.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Hop stocks held by brewers on September 1, 2026 totaled 19.0 million pounds.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
U.S. hop stocks on March 1, 2026 totaled 147,000 thousand pounds.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
U.S. hop stocks on March 1, 2026 were 13.0% lower than on March 1, 2025.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the NASS Hop Stocks report
Brewers held 18.1% of U.S. hop stocks on September 1 in both 2025 and 2026.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the NASS Hop Stocks report
Timeline
What this page could not establish
These are questions this page tried to answer and could not. The gaps are left open rather than filled with a guess.- Why were hop stocks lower in 2026 than in 2025?
- How large are errors in the hop stock estimates?
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 11/03/2026, 00:45
- Body characters
- 4,705
- Sources
- 3 sources adopted
- Model
- ChatGPT (checked sources on the web)
- Time
- 11/03/2026, 00:51
- Verdict
- Revision required
Show revision history (3)
| 11/03/2026, 09:00 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 11/03/2026 | First version. Read in full the USDA NASS Hop Stocks report of September 2026, including the stocks table and methodology, plus the publication page and the NASS Reports by Release Day page; quotations are complete sentences matched against the source text. | Updated |
| 11/03/2026 | Revised after review: the brewer stocks statements now say that NASS contacts the largest U.S. brewers and that the report does not specify how stocks at other brewers are represented in the estimate. | Updated |
Frequently asked
How many hops were in storage in the United States on September 1, 2026?
105 million pounds held by growers, dealers and brewers, down 9% from 116 million a year earlier, according to the NASS Hop Stocks report of September 18, 2026.[1]
Who holds U.S. hop stocks?
On September 1, 2026, dealers and growers held 86.0 million pounds and brewers 19.0 million. NASS says it contacts the largest U.S. brewers; the report does not specify how stocks at other brewers are represented in the estimate.[1]
Why are March hop stocks higher than September stocks?
In every year shown (2024 to 2026), March 1 stocks are higher than September 1 stocks; in this report, no explanation of the seasonal pattern is provided, so compare the same date across years.[1]
Do hop stocks include pellets and extract?
Yes: the 2026 table includes equivalent pounds of dry bale hops held in extract or pellet form.[1]
Which states are surveyed for hop stocks?
Growers are surveyed in the 3 estimating states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington; all known U.S. hop dealers and the largest brewers are also contacted.[1]
Can the 2026 hop stock figures be revised?
Yes: 2026 hop stocks can be revised in the following estimating period and again in the following year's Hop Stocks report, with no revisions after that; in this report, no numeric error measure is provided.[1]