From The Brewers Association:
The Brewers Association’s (BA) upcoming annual Hopsource sensory event is taking place in Yakima, Washington September 24-26 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Yakima Valley HopsOpens in new window. During this event, brewers and industry professionals visiting Yakima for hop selection will have a chance to assess up to 30 hop varieties. The BA encourages visitors to participate in multiple sessions, as the varieties sampled will change every day and every morning and afternoon. These varieties are currently under consideration for advancement in the esteemed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Public Hop Breeding Program, a program financially supported by the BA.
The selection of hops available for assessment this year represents the culmination of diligent work by USDA hop breeders Dr. Kayla Altendorf and Dr. John Henning. They have identified the most promising hop lines, which will be on display for evaluation.
Brewers Supporting Public Hops
The primary objective of the Hopsource event is to gauge the interest of brewers in experimental public hop varieties. This is achieved by leveraging the collective olfactory capabilities of numerous individuals to identify brewer-preferred hop varieties. This endeavor is a crucial component of a broader, ongoing initiative to revitalize public hop research. By bridging the gap that has often existed between brewers and researchers, the ultimate aim is to enrich public hop breeding research and eventually introduce captivating varieties that resonate with brewers. A recent example of the success of these collaborative efforts was the release of the public hop variety Vista in 2022.
In line with our commitment to safety and well-being, health measures will be in effect to ensure the prevention of illness spread. To facilitate individual assessment, samples will be prepared and presented in single-use packaging.
Join us at Hopsource as we unite the worlds of brewing and public hop breeding, working together to shape the future landscape of hop varieties. All noses are invaluable to this journey of exploration and innovation.
WRITTEN BY
Katie Fromuth , Technical Brewing Projects Manager
Katie Fromuth is the Technical Brewing Projects Manager for the Brewers Association. Prior to this role she held the position of Quality Lab Director with the Fermentation Science and Technology program at Colorado State University and as Quality Lab Manager at Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont. She received her Bachelors of Science in Environmental Health (2012) and Masters of Science in Horticulture concentrating in agricultural chemistry (2022) studying the impacts of package type on beer chemical stability. She holds a General Certificate in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, completed the Advanced Class in Craft Malt Production, and served as an instructor for the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) Deep Dive into Quality course. From her love of this industry she’s been involved with both the ASBC Technical Committee and Master Brewers Association of the Americas Rocky Mountain District board for almost a decade. She's passionate about communicating the science and art of brewing and fermentation to spark in others curiosity and joy towards the fantastic world of fermentation.
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