It's been over a century since London had a permanent hop farm, but Meantime Brewing has just recently made a change to this statistic. The brewery turned an old construction site into a thriving urban hop-growing space, designed by landscape gardener Kate Lonergan. The hop farm is situated in a prime spot on the bank of the River Thames, directly on the Greenwich Meridian Line. With her team, Lonergan planted 48 hop roots in a dozen hand-crafted wood planters, alongside colorful flowers and hay bale seating. Additionally, wooden planters will be transformed by street artist Xenz into beer-inspired artworks.
Come September, the hops will be harvested and used to create a beer at the Meantime Brewery in Greenwich, truly showing off the flavor of the area.
Urban Hop Farms
Meantime Brewing Set Up a Hop Farm in London for the First Time in 100 Years
Trend Themes
1. Urban Hop Farming - Meantime Brewing's establishment of an urban hop farm in London opens up opportunities for other brewing companies to explore sustainable solutions for sourcing their ingredients.
2. Sustainable Agriculture - The use of urban spaces for agriculture highlights a potential trend towards more sustainable and locally-sourced food production.
3. Art-infused Urban Farming - The transformation of wooden planters into beer-inspired artworks by street artist Xenz shows a potential trend towards infusing art and creativity into urban farming projects.
Industry Implications
1. Beverage Manufacturing - The establishment of urban hop farms presents exciting opportunities for craft beer and other beverage manufacturers to experiment with locally-sourced ingredients and new farming methods.
2. Urban Agriculture - Meantime Brewing's urban hop farm showcases the potential for urban spaces to be repurposed for agriculture, potentially disrupting traditional agricultural industries.
3. Art and Design - The collaboration between Meantime Brewing and street artist Xenz highlights the potential for partnerships between farming initiatives and artists and designers, creating new opportunities for creativity and innovation in both industries.