The Pacific Northwest is known for its lone-standing mountains, the rocky coast and its thick lush greenery. But did you know that it’s also where 75 percent of North America’s hops are grown? The hop harvest is a big deal in the craft beer world. It’s why your IPAs taste so damn good.
And we’re here to educate your beer lover’s palate with the story behind the hops.
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Meeting with Andy Roy of Roy Farms, a 5th generation hop farm, on its 113th consecutive hop harvest – that’s 113 years – on one of the last days of the harvest, we got to see it all, hear it all, and more importantly, smell it all.
We hope you enjoy this episode with Andy, where, in layman’s terms he explains the harvest, delves a bit into his family’s history and shares some fresh hop beers with us – Oh, sorry! So, while you don’t get to enjoy these beers, you’ll at least know what it means to be fresh-hopped, and now you also know the story behind the smells and tastes of your favorite IPAs and all the other craft brews that we love so much.
Oh, the places we went!
- Roy Farms – Moxee, WA
- Single Hill Brewing – Yakima, WA – On our last podcast, we had Matt, one of the beertenders from Single Hill Brewing, on as an unexpected guest. Listen to how he re-enforces our knowledge that good people are everywhere.
- Wilridge Vineyard, Winery & Distillery – Yakima, WA
- Rocky Top – mountain biking trails – Yakima, WA
- West Valley U-Pick Farm – Yakima, WA
- Valley Brewing Co – Yakima, WA
- Bale Breaker Brewing Co – Yakima, WA
Oh, the beers we drank!
- Ecstasy of Green Fresh Hop IPA from Single Hill Brewing in Yakima, WA
- Lateral A Fresh Hop IPA from Single Hill Brewing in Yakima, WA
- Electric Jellyfish IPA from Pinthouse Pizza in Austin
Resources:
- Harvest Hosts – free camping at breweries, vineyards, farms, and more
- Trailforks – mountain biking trail guides
- MTB Project – more mountain biking trail guides
PRO TIP: When possible, please check ahead anywhere you go. Many places are re-opening, but some may not be. Due to the C-word, you need to be prepared for restrictions and closures. Be flexible.
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“Ken and April do a fantastic job of mixing the culture of beer and adventure into something akin to a fine barrel-aged sour. They are wise beyond their years. Loving this podcast and it will be on our weekly playlist for SURE!”
TheDogInUs
Want More?
Not only did we get Andy on our podcast, we got him – well, mostly the hop harvest in action – on camera, too. Check out how our beloved hops go from field to glass in this short video highlighting the hop harvest at Roy Farms.
Hops are sexy, but so is malt. Since you now know about hops, take your educational yearnings one step further and check out our story on Making Malt Sexy
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Shout Outs:
- Owen X Pishna and Kumquat Asterson, two talented brothers, for creating the show’s theme music
- A Fearless Venture for assisting Ken with the stunning logo design and for putting up with our crap about SEO. Thanks, Teresa and Brian!
