2020 Veterans Blend Selection
This month we hosted our very first virtual blend selection – allowing us to continue with our 2020 Veterans Blend selection alongside brewer participants.
With the help of our talented sensory and product teams, we put together some awesome selection kits, including instructions, grinders, and an array of different hop varieties. This inaugural virtual selection brought this exciting process to the homes and offices of our brewing customers.
We provided selected Veteran brewers with enough hops to conduct their own individual sensory analysis, asking them to create and document their personal “dream blend.” We then conducted a virtual group sensory session, where we rubbed, sniffed and discussed any thoughts and feedback surrounding their aromatic preferences.
At the end, all of the participants anonymously voted, allowing us to create the 2020 Veterans Blend recipe that most accurately depicts a truly collaborative hop product. The varieties included ARE: *drum roll*
- Idaho 7®
- HBC 692
- Sabro®
- Mosaic®
- HBC 630
We are very excited to continue the Veterans Blend project as part of our Community Blends program, with a mission to contribute to meaningful social causes that have a real impact on the world.
This year, we are pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Gary Sinise Foundation as this year’s nonprofit organization. This foundation works to serve our Nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. They do this by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.
Hosting our first virtual selection experience allowed us to engage and include Veteran brewers in this important collaborative process during current distancing restrictions. It just would not have been the same without them. Right now, it is more important than ever to find ways to stay connected and remain a strong community.
In addition, pioneering this virtual process allows us to open up more opportunities for selection engagement not only during COVID-19, but also into the long-term future. We hope to be able to bring more of these sensory analysis and selection experiences to brewers all over the world.
Our 2019 Veterans Blend is also still available for purchasing. Visit our shop site for availability.