LEADERSHIP
Executive Director
ADAM KRYDER
adam@hopgrowersofnewyork.org
Owner, Little Wing Consulting
Adam was elected to be the second Executive Director of Hop Growers of New York in January 2023. With over nine years of experience in business development, brand management and ambassadorship in the hop industry, Adam brings leadership from a global perspective. Working for years with some of the top tier farms and brokerages in Washington and Oregon, Adam is happy to bring his knowledge base back to his home state of New York. In his role, his main focus is to bring strategic vision and trailblazing implementation to unify the growers of New York and strengthen the industry as a whole.
Please contact Adam at adam@hopgrowersofnewyork.org to provide feedback on how you would like to get involved or learn more about our organization.
OFFICERS & Board Members
President
JOHN CONDZELLA
Owner, Condzella’s Farm
president@hopgrowersofnewyork.org
John’s great grandfather immigrated from Poland to the north shore of eastern Long Island and started their farm. Initially many potatoes were grown as well as other field crops. John’s grandparents ran an extensive vegetable farm for pick your own and shipment to the NYC market. John’s farm is most well known for their strawberries which are grown the old fashioned way.
Currently the Conzella’s farm 40 total acres and specialize in asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, small grains and hops. Their first hops were planted in 2010 and they currently have 2 acres in production with a plan to increase hop plantings in the near future. They currently grow Cascade, Columbus, Perle, Fuggle and Triumph varieties.
The Conzella Farm has a Wolf 170 and dries their hops on the farm. They also began importing Wolf harvesters and other European hop equipment to help New York farmers. John is passionate about NY State’s golden age of hop production and John is an avid collector of hop artifacts from that time period.
In 2023 at the Hop Grower’s of America annual conference John won the “Hop Nose it All” award presented by the Hop Research Council for winning a hop sensory competition against hop farmers and professionals from across the country
Vice PRESIDENT
RICK PEDERSEN
HGoNY Member of Hop Breeding Committee
Owner, Pedersen Farms
pedersenfamilyenterprises@gmail.com
Rick planted his first half acre of hops in 1999 and two years later added two more acres for a collaborative grow project for Ithaca Beer Company. Over the next 10 years Rick scaled his hop growing to 13 acres, and still grows the same acreage today. The varieties have changed over the years from noble hops to Cascade, Chinook and Centennial (the “C” hops), as well as Newport, Comet and Yakima Gold. Rick has returned his focus to the “C” hops, and added new varieties like Vista due to market demand.
Rick was also one of the founding members of the Northeast Hop Alliance (NEHA) which restructured into the Hop Growers of New York.
Secretary & Treasurer
BRIAN ALLIS
Ownrer, Empire Hops | secretary@hopgrowersofnewyork.org
Brian is the owner of a two-generation family farming operation located in the heart of Wayne County, NY.
As owner of Empire Hops, Brian grows high-quality hops that are used by craft breweries across the country. Empire Hops takes great pride in the quality of their hops and are committed to sustainable farming practices that protect the environment and ensure the longevity of their farm.
The Allis family has always loved beer, and their passion for beer led them to start growing hops. They believe that the best beers start with the best ingredients, and they are proud to be a part of the craft beer movement that values quality, sustainability, and creativity.
In addition to growing hops, Empire Hops also offers tours of their farm and our custom made equipment for growing and harvesting hops.
BOARD Member
DIETRICH GEHRING
HGoNY Member of Government Relations Committee
Indian Ladder Farms | dcgehring@gmail.com
Dietrich is proud co-owner of Indian Ladder Farms. Indian Ladder Farms (ILF) is a centennial farm founded in 1916. Today the farm boasts over 90 acres of orchards producing over 40 varieties of apples and 7 varieties of hops.. The farm offers seasonal pick-your-own berries, apples, and pumpkins, as well as educational programs and tours. Indian Ladder Farms Cidery & Brewery opened its tasting room in 2016, their offerings use approximately 90% or more of the Estate Grown Hops from ILF.
Dietrich is a large advocate for farming best practices and working in farms best interests with state and local governments. Dietrich also co-authored “The Hop Grower’s Handbook” with ILF co-owner Laura Ten Eyck.
Board Member
CHAD MEIGS
The Bineyard | chad@thebineyard.com
Chad is Founder and Chief Operations Officer of The Bineyard, a full scale hop farm and processing facility located in Cazenovia, NY. The company is one of a few full service hop enterprises in the State of NY. The Bineyard specializes in its harvest to pellet processing equipment and facilities to produce high quality hop products utilized by craft breweries throughout the state.
Chad currently serves on the Board of Hop Growers of New York, an organization that has been in the forefront of resurrecting the hop industry in NYS and the Northeast. Through his hop industry visibility and stewardship, Chad has developed a far reaching network in the craft beer industry.
BOARD MEMBER
CHERYL WYGAL
cobblestonehops@gmail.com
At Cobblestone Hop Yard, we are proud to be providing brewers with a true farm to glass experience. All across New York State, and down the East Coast, we are excited to taste the beers created with our hops! Located just North of the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York State, our hops have a delicious, unique flavor associated with only our terroir.
As a young child, I fell in love with my grandfather’s farm. I have fond memories of picking rocks, baling hay and following my grandpa around as he milked his cow and tended his other livestock. It is a dream come true that I have the opportunity to continue to farm his land by growing NY hops.
BOARD MEMBER
GREG KOESTER
koesterhops@gmail.com
Koester Hops ( Koester Farms, LLC) is a 60-acre family-owned farm situated in the Clarksburg-Langford area of North Collins (Eden), NY. The idea to start to hops farm started with a small arbor on our patio. The first acre of the hopyard was planted in 2015 with Cascade and Centennial hops. In 2016, we expanded the acreage to 2.5 acres with additional Centennial plantings. Plans for future expansion have begun with the purchase of a 2+ acre trellis.