Hop Harvest Underway in Yakima Valley, Nation’s Largest Hop-Growing Region

Apples, pears and other fruits are coming off Wenatchee Valley trees right now, but the state’s other largest harvest – hops – is now underway in the Yakima Valley.
Beer is the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink in the world and third most popular behind water and tea. Dating back to its first written mention 5000 years ago beer may even date back to when cereals were first farmed in 9500 BC.
Relative newcomers to the beer making process are hops, which weren’t documented as an additive to beer until the 9^th century. Skipping ahead to the 21^st century we find ourselves living near one of, if not the largest hops growing regions in the world. And it’s harvest time, as KOHO’s Marcus Bellissimo reports.