The flights are booked, bags are packed — but how is your nose? Hop harvest in the Yakima Valley is an all-in sensory experience: rubbing hops, tasting beers, and likely finishing off the day with some well-deserved tacos. A little sensory training helps sharpen your palate and align your team. Here’s how to prep before you hit up the Yakima Valley this September.
Get to know the Aroma Kit
Immerse yourself in the twelve key aroma compounds found in hops using our Hop Aroma Standards Kit. Each vial contains a food grade compound, ideal for smelling and refining that hop nose of yours. The Aroma Kit provides a base language and understanding for your team when you go to selection. It’s perfect for brewers of any size and any experience level.
Prep the team for selection with some real-life references
One of the best ways to hone in your hop nose is to smell what’s already around you. Trek to the store, the kitchen, or even the garden to find some ingredients to practice with. Think citrus and seasonal stonefruits, fresh herbs and flowers, spices in the pantry. Practice with beers that highlight these same notes.
Smell, describe, debate! Using our Sensory Lexicon, you can lock in your preferences so you’re ready to select with clarity and confidence. At the end of the day, you know what hop flavor profiles are best fit for your brewery.
Maximize your time in the valley
Of course, hop harvest is an important time for visiting farms and talking shop with fellow hop enthusiasts. It’s a warm ground for networking, asking questions and putting your nose to the ultimate test. Flex those sensory skills at the annual Hopsource (Sept. 23-25) hosted here at the shop — an event where you can be a part of picking the next public hop, trialing up to 30 of the USDA’s most promising varieties.
Harvest takes center stage every September, but make sure to kick back with the locals and industry friends at our own breweries in the Yakima Valley. Here’s an all-inclusive guide that will walk you through all the hospitality this sunny, central location has to offer.