New brewers hoping to tap into the burgeoning craft beer market could struggle to source hops in the States and should consider British varieties, the British Hops Association has claimed

Spokeswoman Alison Capper made the recommendation in the wake of reports that a surge in demand in the US had doubled the price of the specialist aroma and flavour hops to about $7 to $10 a pound over the past five years – the highest since 2007-08 when the market was hit by a severe drought.