In celebration of Independence Day, Yakima Chief Hops is launching the Annual Veterans Blend. Each year YCH collaborates with Veterans from the brewing industry to select both the hop blend and non-profit organization that directly supports various aspects of the Veteran community and bring value to the lives of those who have served. YCH donates $3/pound sold to the selected nonprofit organization that provides support for the Veteran community.  This is the fifth year for the Veterans Blend and YCH is honored to partner with the HunterSeven Foundation, a Veteran-founded, nonprofit organization that specializes in medical research and education specifically on the post-9/11 Veteran cohort. The deadline to submit orders is Sept. 9th to allow for time to ship, brew and pour by Veterans Day 2022.

Veterans Blend varieties include:

  • HBC 586
  • Triumph
  • Chinook
  • Ekuanot®
  • Idaho 7®

The YCH Sensory Team anticipates big citrus and tropical aromas backed by dank woody and sweet aromatic notes.

Brew your support for military Veterans and place your order today!

 

YCH is proud to partner with HunterSeven Foundation, a veteran-founded, nonprofit organization that specializes in medical research and education specifically on the post-9/11 veteran cohort. The HunterSeven Foundation has quickly become the leaders in identifying potential toxic exposures and subsequent illnesses in military veterans and in turn is able to educate both the veteran population and the healthcare providers who care for them on critical health information relating to their exposures utilizing evidence-based practice.

"With post-9/11 service members being diagnosed with cancer at a ratio of 1 in every 6, the HunterSeven Foundation will continue to lead the groundbreaking change in proactive healthcare. Our approach is mission-driven, and our mission is to save lives.” says Chelsey Simoni, HunterSeven Foundation Co-Founder.

Brewer Testimonials/Past Beer Highlights

Several veteran-owned breweries have supported Veterans Blend and dedicated brews to honor their fellow service men and women.

Photo courtesy of Service Brewing

Service Brewing

Location: Savannah, GA

Freedom Machine Vol. 4

Service Brewing is a Veteran-owned craft brewery in Savannah, GA that is dedicated to honoring those that have put their lives at risk and their country and community first.

 

Photo courtesy of Forgotten Road Ales

Forgotten Road Ales

Location: Graham, NC

Not All Family is Blood NEIPA

Forgotten Road Ales is a Veteran and Female owned brewery. Named for a metaphor describing the road that Veterans travel once they return to civilian life after service or after deployment. Not All Family is Blood New England IPA using YCH Veterans Blend is released twice a year, Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

Ben Farrar says, "When we opened the doors to Forgotten Road Ales, we knew that it wasn’t just enough for us as a veteran-owned and operated brewery to brew great beer. We wanted to give back to veterans, and we wanted to create a place where those who entered our doors could call “home”.

Not All Family Is Blood is a Double Dry Hopped New England IPA brewed with Yakima Chief Hops’ Veterans Blend Hops. We release this very special beer twice a year – on Veteran’s Day and on Memorial Day.

 Our can label tells our story about why this beer is so important to us.

Not All Family Is Blood is brewed in honor and in memory of our brothers and sisters in arms – for those who fought, and who continue to fight the good fight. We share a bond that binds friends into family. That family is forged by sweat and by blood, and in the wars and battles we fight overseas, and within, once home.

At Forgotten Road Ales, strangers have become family. We share hopes and dreams. Tears. Laughter. Beers. If you’re traveling down a road, and need a shoulder or an ear, or if you feel forgotten about, or if you are fighting battles alone, you have a home here. NOT ALL FAMILY IS BLOOD.”

Brew Good with Veterans Blend

With this community blend, we hope to inspire brewers to brew beers that multiply these efforts and connect heroes from field to pint. We encourage brewers to involve their neighboring Veterans in the celebratory brewing process, creating a positive and exciting experience for members of this community.

The 5th Annual Veterans Blend provides the brewing community opportunities to honor and provide needed resources for military Veterans and add to their brewing schedules as well as brew tribute beers in honor of Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day with donations supporting local VFW’s or charitable organizations that support military members and their families.

Other opportunities to support your local Veteran community:
  • Coordinate a brew day with local Veterans/organizations in your area to meet and plan a day to bring Veterans into the brew house and learn about the brewing process.
  • Brew a beer honoring military Veterans and their families with a portion of sales being donated to nonprofits that support the needs of the Veteran community.
  • Use your beer label to raise awareness. Allocate some of the real estate of a beer can label to share facts or call out a local group consumers can support.
  • Find suppliers who are donating to Veteran organizations.
  • Host an event that brings local groups into the taproom for educational opportunities for your patrons.