Besides the bounty of its hop harvest, Yakima claims one of the craft brewing industry’s roots: the original home of America’s first post-prohibition brewpub. As ales, stouts and hefeweizens continue to gain popularity, Yakima is the place to experience some of the finest examples! For a brew to be considered a “fresh hop ale” for the festival competition, it must be produced with hops that were p
icked no more than 24 hours prior to brewing (talk about overnight shipping!). Fresh Hop Ale is produced throughout the month of September, timing dependent on the growth of each year’s hop harvest. Brewers then bring their freshly brewed kegs of beer to the fest, where a panel of judges selects first, second and third place Fresh Hop Ales.
