Hop Harvest
Last month, I had the amazing opportunity to head over to Yakima, Washington, for hop harvest, and honestly, what a trip. This part of the U.S. Pacific Northwest is one of the top hop-growing regions in the world, and it’s where many of the hops we use at Boxer Brewing Co. come from. Seeing it all in action, meeting the growers, and, of course, tasting a few fresh brews was nothing short of incredible.
One highlight was visiting Perrault Farms, right in the middle of harvesting Talus. Talus is a hop we love and use in our Core IPA, so seeing it freshly picked and smelling it straight off the bine was amazing. It absolutely reaffirmed why we use Talus. It smelled ridiculously fresh, bursting with grapefruit, pine, and pink guava.
Next, I made my way to Oasis Farms at the tip of the Yakima Valley. Everyone was flat out but incredibly welcoming and clearly passionate about what they grow here. This part of the Valley, and likely others, had water restrictions this year, but thankfully, it didn’t seem to impact the quality of the hops.
I also visited Loza Farms and Suave & Son Farm, where they were harvesting some exciting experimental hop varieties, HBC 638 and HBC 522. These aren’t mainstream yet, but the aromas were punchy and could have the potential to replace some of the more common hops. These new varieties push boundaries with tropical, citrusy, and even coconut-like notes. I’m super excited to start experimenting with them in upcoming brews.
Another highlight was Hollingbery & Son, one of Yakima’s key hop suppliers. They were showcasing a newer variety called Vera, which had tropical vibes, stone fruit, and a touch of citrus. I even got to chat with the breeder behind it. They had beers brewed with Vera across different styles so I could see how it comes through in various applications. It was a great way to understand the hop’s potential.
I also toured the Yakima Chief pelletisation and extract facility, where I watched hops transform from fresh cones to pellets, then into hop oil and extract. It’s a high-tech setup, and the precision involved in getting hops from farm to fermenter was impressive.
Of course, it wasn’t all work. I squeezed in visits to a few local breweries. Varietal Brewing, Outskirts, Bale Breaker, and Single Hill were all on the list, and each had something different and delicious pouring. Fresh hop Simcoe IPA is dangerously good: Russian River brewed one for Simcoe’s 25th anniversary, and it was easily my favourite of the trip—resinous, citrusy, dank, yet clean and smashable. Expect to see more Simcoe love in a Boxer brew soon.
Honestly, the trip to Yakima was an incredible experience, not just personally, but for Boxer Brewing as a whole. Meeting farmers, other brewers, rubbing fresh hops, tasting experimental varieties, and seeing where our ingredients are grown gave me a whole new appreciation for what we get to work with every day.
I’ve brought so many new ideas home from Yakima, and I’m already back in the brewery putting them to work on the next batch of seasonal releases. There’s some really exciting stuff on the way, and I can’t wait for you to try it.
Catch up soon!
Abby
