Centuries of brewing history are coming to a close on the slopes of the Hogs Back as a commercial hop grower has begun its final harvest.

The Hampton Estate has played a crucial part in the beer-making industry as its prized fuggles hops are used by breweries throughout the UK, ranging from Hogs Back and Harvey’s to Black Sheep and Timothy Taylor’s.

But the harvest that began on Tuesday will be its last, with the combination of climate change and rising production costs being cited by the family-run estate in Puttenham.

Hops have been grown in the village for hundreds of years with the Guildford to Alton corridor being an historic hotbed of production. But the combination of hotter and drier summers, and mild and wetter winters have made growing hops increasingly difficult, with Hampton being left as one of the last commercial hop growers in the area.

Wages and machinery costs have also sharply risen along with hop prices, with yields becoming increasingly unpredictable. The Hampton team are under no illusion this week’s harvest will be an emotional affair.

CEO Bill Biddell said: “This has been one of the hardest decisions we’ve made at Hampton, but it’s the right one.

“The climate has turned against hops here, the costs keep rising, and demand for cask ale keeps falling.

“We owe it to this land, and to everyone who’s been part of its story, to be honest about that.”

The Hampton team added: “The hop gardens are a very special place for many of us, full of memories and connections.

“Thank you to everyone who has grown, picked, dried and cared about these hops over the years, and to all our local friends for being part of that story with us.”

(With additional reporting by Marcus McQuilton)