Hello from Yakima

Good morning HBT! Thanks to everyone for the wealth of information available on the site. I've learned a ton already and haven't even started brewing my first batch yet... Starting up Saturday with a Pale Ale and can't wait!

My "day job" is what led me to pursue homebrewing. My family has been growing hops here in the Yakima Valley since 1932, and after 9 years in Seattle (4 at UW - Go Dawgs!) I've come back to the farm where I was raised. I love beer - the hoppier the better - so trying my hand at brewing has been of great interest.

Thanks again to everyone for sharing their experiences here on HBT for the benefit of people like me. I hope to be able to do the same.

Cheers!

Hello from the green side.

I imagine it will not take you too long to become a seasoned homebrewer. Enjoy the ride and ask a lot of questions. This place is a great resource.

It's a big bonus to be your own source for hops! :rockin:

very nice screen name there! I grew up in Yakima and was just back there for Christmas. Anyways, enjoy the site, if you have a question, there is a answer here.

humann_brewing said:

very nice screen name there! I grew up in Yakima and was just back there for Christmas. Anyways, enjoy the site, if you have a question, there is a answer here.

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Thanks! Glad to see another native of the Palm Springs of Washington around. Whereabouts in Yakima are you from? I'm from the East Valley area.

HopBlooded said:

Thanks! Glad to see another native of the Palm Springs of Washington around. Whereabouts in Yakima are you from? I'm from the East Valley area.

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I grew up in the middle of the city pretty much about nob hill and 32nd.

So you went to UW? I am thinking next year will be better in football. I went to school in Seattle too but at SPU.

Welcome, and good brewing (with the freshest hops around... we're all envious!)!

Welcome aboard!

There is a homebrew club in Yakima. http://www.yakimabrewers.org/ I know a bunch of the guys in the club and they have some good times. Unfortunately I never make any of their meetings since they are the same night as our meetings (3rd thursday of the month)

humann_brewing said:

I grew up in the middle of the city pretty much about nob hill and 32nd.

So you went to UW? I am thinking next year will be better in football. I went to school in Seattle too but at SPU.

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Not too far from where I live now. When I moved back, SWMBO and I bought a house near Franklin Park. And to make a small world smaller, for the last 5 years in Seattle I lived just up the hill from SPU. Weird.

And yes, next year should be much better in football. Locker back again, 2nd year under Sarkisian, should break the much too long streak of not going to bowl games. Until then, the basketball is fun to watch (on most nights).

Bokonon said:

Welcome aboard!

There is a homebrew club in Yakima. http://www.yakimabrewers.org/ I know a bunch of the guys in the club and they have some good times. Unfortunately I never make any of their meetings since they are the same night as our meetings (3rd thursday of the month)

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Thanks! I got a card from one of them at the Fresh Hop Ale Festival back in October and hadn't followed up on it. Maybe I will. Cheers!

Party at HopBlooded's: September, 2010! Bring tents, tanks, and BBQ.

david_42 said:

Party at HopBlooded's: September, 2010! Bring tents, tanks, and BBQ.

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yes and lots of freezer bags

Hey! No promises on a party, but... if you are ever in the area and want a tour, look me up. Answer enough of my stupid noob questions and I may let you walk out with a freezer bag. Maybe...

Welcome

Another welcome from the wet side.

Yakima! I love Yakima! Ever summer I drive through there (windows up A/C on full blast of course). What varieties does the farm grow?

faststage1 said:

Yakima! I love Yakima! Ever summer I drive through there (windows up A/C on full blast of course). What varieties does the farm grow?

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Everyone loves Yakima! Where are you heading when you are passing through?

Our main varieties are Tomahawk (aka Columbus), Cascade, Simcoe, Palisade, Warrior, and Willamette, with a couple others smaller varieties tossed in. I'm really looking forward to tasting the differences among the varieties (maybe some single hop stuff...)

HopBlooded said:

Everyone loves Yakima! Where are you heading when you are passing through?

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Actually I've never been though there in a car always on a motorbike wishing it had some form of A/C. Last August came through and as hot as it was inside my helmet it was even hotter to open the visor and let the outside air in. I nearly melted inside my riding gear, I think it was 106F. I'm usually on my way down to Oregon or California to ride the fanstastic twisty roads down there. I live 6.5hours due north of you up Hwy 97. I also grow hops but only as a hobby, I have 60 plants and 8 varieties.
[ame="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=vernon+bc&daddr=yakima+wa&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.335236,68.291016&ie=UTF8&z=6"]http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=vernon+bc&daddr=yakima+wa&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.335236,68.291016&ie=UTF8&z=6[/ame]

faststage1 said:

Actually I've never been though there in a car always on a motorbike wishing it had some form of A/C. Last August came through and as hot as it was inside my helmet it was even hotter to open the visor and let the outside air in. I nearly melted inside my riding gear, I think it was 106F. I'm usually on my way down to Oregon or California to ride the fanstastic twisty roads down there. I live 6.5hours due north of you up Hwy 97. I also grow hops but only as a hobby, I have 60 plants and 8 varieties.

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It was horribly hot for a stretch last August and September. So you live up near Revelstoke? I hear the skiing there is fantastic. I hope to get up there at some point to see for my self. 60 plants is more than just a hobby -- especially at harvest.

HopBlooded said:

It was horribly hot for a stretch last August and September. So you live up near Revelstoke? I hear the skiing there is fantastic. I hope to get up there at some point to see for my self. 60 plants is more than just a hobby -- especially at harvest.

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Revelstoke has a nice mountain but is most famous for heli-skiing. I'm 1.5hours south of there. We have a great mountain here too, Silverstar. Light fluffy power, great for face shots. Nice climate too, not that different from Yakima not quite as hot in summer and a little colder in winter and dry. We're at the northern most tip of the same "desert" Yakima is on, complete with cactus.
I do intend to sell some of my hops to other home brewers, I'm just in the process of setting up a home brew supply web site. Should be on line Feb 1st.
Good talking to you,
Chris

HopBlooded said:

Not too far from where I live now. When I moved back, SWMBO and I bought a house near Franklin Park. And to make a small world smaller, for the last 5 years in Seattle I lived just up the hill from SPU. Weird.

And yes, next year should be much better in football. Locker back again, 2nd year under Sarkisian, should break the much too long streak of not going to bowl games. Until then, the basketball is fun to watch (on most nights).

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Very nice! Next time I am in town, I will let you know and maybe I can bring some hombrew. Probably won't be for a while though.

faststage1 said:

Revelstoke has a nice mountain but is most famous for heli-skiing. I'm 1.5hours south of there. We have a great mountain here too, Silverstar. Light fluffy power, great for face shots. Nice climate too, not that different from Yakima not quite as hot in summer and a little colder in winter and dry. We're at the northern most tip of the same "desert" Yakima is on, complete with cactus.
I do intend to sell some of my hops to other home brewers, I'm just in the process of setting up a home brew supply web site. Should be on line Feb 1st.
Good talking to you,
Chris

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I didn't realize that's where Silverstar was. I've heard really good things about the skiing there. Good luck on the homebrew supply website. When you get it up and running, post a link, I'd like to see it.

Cheers!

humann_brewing said:

Very nice! Next time I am in town, I will let you know and maybe I can bring some hombrew. Probably won't be for a while though.

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Sounds great. Happy New Year!

I am new here. I just like to say hey neighbor. I lived in West Valley for nine years. I just bought a place North of Selah last summer. I am looking for a place I can buy some hop plants. Any idea for us that do not grow commercially?

Welcome! I'm pretty new too, but am really enjoying the forums. Tons of great info and posters.

I think Hops Direct in Mabton sells rhizomes to homebrewers. Probably best to go through someone semi-local like that because of restriction on "importing" plant material from out of state. You also may want to buy more rhizomes than you want plants to get them going quicker. For instance, when we go to plant a new yard, we will use anywhere from 2-8 rhizome cuttings per hill (plant) which will help your success rate early on. Growing baby hops is a bit of a challenge, but fortunately for you, you live in the only area in the world that can get a decent crop in year 1! Best of luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

HopBlooded said:

Welcome! I'm pretty new too, but am really enjoying the forums. Tons of great info and posters.

I think Hops Direct in Mabton sells rhizomes to homebrewers. Probably best to go through someone semi-local like that because of restriction on "importing" plant material from out of state. You also may want to buy more rhizomes than you want plants to get them going quicker. For instance, when we go to plant a new yard, we will use anywhere from 2-8 rhizome cuttings per hill (plant) which will help your success rate early on. Growing baby hops is a bit of a challenge, but fortunately for you, you live in the only area in the world that can get a decent crop in year 1! Best of luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

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Hey thanks. I hope to see you around.

Howdy fellow Yakimanians? Yakimaniacs?

I've been here 4 years, and am just getting into the brewing schtick. I'm liking it. It'd be good to hang out, maybe do some brewing. Maybe just some drinking of good brew.

Budger said:

Howdy fellow Yakimanians? Yakimaniacs?

I've been here 4 years, and am just getting into the brewing schtick. I'm liking it. It'd be good to hang out, maybe do some brewing. Maybe just some drinking of good brew.

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Welcome. What are you doing tonight? Come over and drink some beer. BYOB

I'd love to, but need to do some painting prep tonight. We've got a bun in the oven, and need to get the nursery painted. I'll take a raincheck though.

Budger said:

I'd love to, but need to do some painting prep tonight. We've got a bun in the oven, and need to get the nursery painted. I'll take a raincheck though.

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That's cool. Friday nights are the best time for me to do none family things. PM me if you have nothing do on those nights and we maybe able to drinks some beer and BS.

I'm from the Palm Springs of Washington, too. It seems you are about my age, HopBlooded. Where did you go to high school? I'm a West Valley grad.

I went to East Valley. Moved to Seattle after high school to Seattle and then recently back to Yakima.

Ha! You may have had my mom for an English teacher. I have a lot of good friends from EV.

Weird. Small world, eh? If I didn't have your mom as a teacher, I'm sure I knew her. Pretty small school.

I'm looking forward to the hop harvest myself; my husband does some work for one of the growers and will be bringing me fresh goodies to add to my brew. I can't wait!

Off Topic! RobinTheHood, are you a big Sublime fan? Because I really like your handle and that album.

Heya Robin, welcome. There's a local group that likes to homebrew. www.yakimabrewers.org Worth checking them out. Ceg and I have a raincheck to drink beer one of these nights. Maybe it could be a group get-together. I just emptied a couple of my kegs, so I won't have beer for a few weeks, but wouldn't mind a gathering all the same.

I think there's an informal meeting of the brew club tomorrow at Bob's if y'all are interested. I can't go, but you could prob email the group and someone would meet you.

Lots of Yakima people around it seems.

Guess I can be added to the list. Just getting started with brewing. Got all my kit together and planning to do my first brew on Friday. Got an Oatmeal stout planned for the fall.