Alcohols from the earth
Hops, barley, grapes, corn, agave, sugarcane, rice and apples. Before any of them become a drink, they're crops that live or die by soil moisture, temperature and salinity.
44,793
U.S. hop acres harvested (2024)
33,361 acres
Washington's share (2024)
$446M
Value of the U.S. crop (2024)
U.S. hops come almost entirely from Washington, Oregon and Idaho; Washington harvested 33,361 of the 44,793 U.S. acres in 2024.
In the root zone: Root-zone records offer growers context across the hop yard and grain field; they are not a guarantee of malt or beer quality.
USDA NASS National Hop Report, Dec 20, 2024Under federal rules, brandy is distilled from the fermented juice or mash of fruit; grape brandy comes from grapes.
In the root zone: Vineyards use controlled stress to shape fruit, so root-zone moisture timing matters every season.
27 CFR Part 5 — Spirits standards of identityBourbon must be made from a mash of at least 51% corn; rye whiskey from at least 51% rye.
In the root zone: Grain fields swing between drought and saturation; even moisture at tasseling and heading protects yield.
27 CFR Part 5 — Spirits standards of identityTequila is made from Agave tequilana Weber, blue variety, in designated Mexican regions; a plant takes years to mature before harvest.
In the root zone: Long-lived agave crops tie up land for years, so soil moisture and salinity records follow each planting.
27 CFR Part 5 — Spirits standards of identityRum is distilled from the fermented juice, syrup or molasses of sugarcane.
In the root zone: Root-zone observations add soil context beneath the growing stand, alongside weather and the grower's agronomic advice.
27 CFR Part 5 — Spirits standards of identitySake is a rice wine, fermented from rice rather than fruit.
In the root zone: Paddy rice depends on managed flooding and draining, a water-intensive cycle worth measuring.
27 CFR Part 4 — Wine labeling (sake)Cider is wine made from apples; perry from pears.
In the root zone: Orchard trees live for decades; root-zone data supports watering and long-term tree health.
27 CFR Part 4 — Wine labelingNonalcoholic · Another side of the same earth
Coffea · Seeds inside the cherry
Coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee fruit, commonly called a cherry. The familiar cup starts with a plant-grown seed.
A grower’s soil record adds context beneath the crop without promising flavor, quality or yield.
Oregon State University Extension — Coffee Break ↗Camellia sinensis · Leaves and buds
White, green, oolong and black teas come from Camellia sinensis. Harvest and processing help shape the differences in the cup; herbal infusions may use other plants.
The tea plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree; root-zone observations complement the grower’s field knowledge.
NC State Extension — Camellia sinensis ↗Theobroma cacao · Seeds inside the pod
Chocolate begins with cacao beans—the seeds of Theobroma cacao. A chocolate drink belongs to the plant-to-cup story, separate from distilled or fermented alcohol.
Follow the living tree beneath the pod: soil observations are context for growers, not a promise of chocolate quality.
University of Missouri — Chocolate ↗Hop yards, vineyards, grain farms, agave and orchard growers can pilot GX-1 series sensors with GAIN.
See the vineyard setup