Anheuser-Busch Awards $65,000 Grant to Advance Hop Research

Anheuser-Busch Awards $65,000 Grant:

Hops may be one of the smallest ingredients in a beer by volume, but their impact on flavor and aroma is enormous. Now, Anheuser-Busch is putting another $65,000 behind the people and research that help ensure those essential brewing ingredients remain healthy, consistent and available for years to come.

The latest investment targets the Pacific Northwest, where Oregon, Washington and Idaho remain central to America’s hop-growing industry. The Anheuser-Busch Foundation grant will support research into everything from hop storage and plant pathology to variety development, agronomics and the potential impact of wildfire smoke.

The announcement also puts a spotlight on the much larger relationship between brewing and American agriculture. Anheuser-Busch says it spends approximately $700 million every year purchasing agricultural ingredients from 700 American farmers. That commitment has been especially visible in 2026, with the company expanding its agricultural investments while taking its massive ComBar on the road to celebrate the farmers behind the beer.

Here is the full announcement from Anheuser-Busch detailing its latest investment in Pacific Northwest hop research and the American farmers who help supply the ingredients behind its beers.

LATEST GRANT BUILDS ON COMPANY’S $700 MILLION ANNUAL EXPENDITURES FOR INGREDIENTS SOURCED FROM 700 AMERICAN FARMERS, INCLUDING HOP FARMERS ACROSS OREGON, WASHINGTON & IDAHO

Key Facts:

October 6, 2026 – St. Louis, MO – Today, Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD), a leading American manufacturer and maker of Michelob ULTRA, Busch Light, Budweiser, Bud Light and Cutwater Spirits, announced a $65,000 grant to support research initiatives focused on the Pacific Northwest hop industry. The grant, which was donated through the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, will fund research projects administered by Oregon State University and the nonprofit Hop Research Council.

This latest grant supports research efforts focused on hop storage and age impacts, as well as plant pathology, agronomics, variety development, and the potential effects of wildfire smoke exposure on hops. By generating and sharing timely research and practical insights, this work helps hop farmers make informed decisions, while also advancing knowledge that benefits brewers and the broader industry.

Anheuser-Busch partners with more than 700 farmers across the country – including hop farms in Oregon, Washington and Idaho – to purchase $700 million in agricultural ingredients from American farmers each year. Through longstanding partnerships with growers, researchers, and industry organizations, the company continues to invest in initiatives that help strengthen American agriculture and support farming communities nationwide.

Damola Oshin, Chief Procurement Officer, Anheuser-Busch said: “The quality of our beer begins with the quality of the ingredients grown by American farmers. We’re proud to support research and innovation that can help strengthen the hop industry, support farming communities, and contribute to the long-term success of American agriculture.”

Hops are a key ingredient in all of Anheuser-Busch’s industry leading beers, helping deliver the flavor and aroma profiles consumers know and expect from their favorite brands. As the center of America’s hop production, the Pacific Northwest plays an important role in supporting the brewing industry. Every fall, Anheuser-Busch brewers from across the country travel to the Pacific Northwest to hand select hops during harvest to ensure brewing quality throughout the year.

Alicia Adler, Executive Technical Director of the Hop Research Council (HRC), said:“Hops are a critical ingredient in beer, and continued research is essential to supporting growers and maintaining a strong U.S. hop industry. Anheuser-Busch is a founding member of the HRC, supporting this work since 1979, and we are grateful for Anheuser-Busch’s ongoing investment in research and innovation that benefits hop-growing communities across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”

Tom Shellhammer, Nor’Wester Professor of Fermentation Science at Oregon State University, said: “For more than three decades, Anheuser-Busch has been a valued partner in supporting hops research and innovation, working closely with the research groups within the Pacific Northwest to advance hops and the brewing industry as a whole. This investment will enable us to further explore new approaches and generate practical knowledge that can support local farmers, strengthen hop quality, and drive the continued advancement of the hops industry.”

For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has been committed to supporting American agriculture and the communities that help grow the ingredients used in its beers. Over the last 40 years, the company has collaborated with leading universities, researchers, public and private hop breeding programs, and industry organizations – including Hop Growers of America and the Hop Research Council – to advance research, innovation, and best practices that help strengthen the American hop industry for generations to come.

Diane Gooding, Idaho hop farmer and current HRC President, said: “Growing hops that go into some of America’s most iconic beers is something our family and our employees take great pride in. We’re grateful for Anheuser-Busch’s continued investment in the hop industry and the research that helps support farmers. Commitments like this help ensure hop farming remains strong for future generations.”

The grant also builds on Anheuser-Busch’s broader commitment to supporting American agriculture through its ongoing Choose Beer Grown Here initiative, which highlights the farmers and agricultural communities behind the ingredients used in its beers. As part of the campaign, Anheuser-Busch’s ComBar – a 10-ton mobile bar built from a combine harvester – is traveling across the country this year to engage consumers and showcase the important role American farmers play in brewing. Through initiatives like Choose Beer Grown Here and investments in agricultural research, Anheuser-Busch continues to support the people and communities that help bring its beers to life.

“This latest investment adds another chapter to Anheuser-Busch’s increasingly visible focus on American agriculture in 2026. MyBeerBuzz recently covered the company’s launch of the ComBar to celebrate American farmers and U.S. Farmed beer, its more than $200,000 in new rice research grants, and its $4 million investment in Idaho Falls along with a $50,000 barley research grant. Together, those investments show a broader strategy that reaches from the farms supplying barley, rice and hops to the research institutions working to strengthen American agriculture—and ultimately the quality of the beer made from those ingredients.”

ABOUT ANHEUSER-BUSCH

At Anheuser-Busch, our purpose is to create a future with more cheers. For more than 165 years as a leading American manufacturer, we have delivered a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. As the nation’s top brewer, one of the fastest growing spirits companies, and an emerging force in energy drinks, we drive economic prosperity nationwide through investments in our people, facilities, and communities. We are the only alcohol company that invests in the U.S. at this scale.

We are home to the nation’s most iconic beers, ready-to-drink spirits and beyond beer brands, including Michelob ULTRA – America’s #1 top-selling and fastest-growing beer – Busch Light, Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, Cutwater Spirits, NÜTRL Vodka Seltzer, industry-leading craft beers and non-alcohol beers like Michelob ULTRA Zero. We are guided by our commitment to the communities we call home and to the 65,000 hardworking Americans who bring our products to life. That’s who we are. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram.

FAQs

1. Why are hops important to Anheuser-Busch?

By combining different types of hops, we balance the sweet notes and malty weight of each beer. With each hand-selected combination of hops, our brewmasters craft each beer’s unique aroma and balanced bitter flavor.

2. How will the grant benefit American farmers?

These research efforts focus on hop storage and age impacts, as well as plant pathology, agronomics, variety development, and the potential effects of wildfire smoke exposure on hops. By generating and sharing timely research and practical insights, this work helps hop farmers make informed decisions, while also advancing knowledge that benefits brewers and the broader industry.

3. How does this fit into Anheuser-Busch’s broader commitment to agriculture?

Anheuser-Busch has supported American farmers for more than 165 years and purchases $700 million in agricultural ingredients from U.S. farmers annually. The company partners with 700 farmers nationwide and sources nearly all the ingredients in its iconic American beers from American farms.

4. What is the ComBar?

The ComBar – short for “combine” plus “bar”— is a first of its kind 10-ton, 400+ square foot mobile bar engineered from a real combine harvester, built to honor the American farmers behind Anheuser-Busch’s iconic beers.

5. What is U.S. Farmed?

Anheuser-Busch is proud to be the first company to achieve and bring U.S. Farmed certified brands to shelves across the country, starting with our industry-leading Michelob ULTRA, Budweiser, Busch, Busch Light, and Bud Light beers. This certification, indicating that at least 95% of agricultural ingredients are grown in the United States, makes it easier than ever for consumers to choose products that benefit American farmers.

6. Why does Anheuser-Busch care about the Pacific Northwest?

Hops are a key ingredient in all of Anheuser-Busch’s beers, helping deliver the flavor and aroma profiles consumers know and expect from their favorite brands. As the center of U.S. hop production, the Pacific Northwest plays an important role in supporting the brewing industry. Every fall, Anheuser-Busch brewers from across the country travel to the Pacific Northwest to hand select hops during harvest to ensure brewing quality throughout the year. By evaluating hops in the field and through sensory and quality assessments, we can identify the lots and varieties that best deliver the desired characteristics for our beer.

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