Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) is excited to launch the 8th Veterans Blend, an annual collaboration that raises funds to support U.S. military Veterans. This year, YCH will donate $1 for every pound sold to Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit organization providing aid, comfort, and resources to the U.S. military, Veterans, and their families. The pre-order window runs from June 23rd to August 25th, and orders will begin shipping after production is complete.

This year’s blend will be comprised of:

  • Krush®
  • Idaho 7®
  • Citra®
  • HBC 1134®

Senior Sensory Manager Tiffany Pitra is expecting strong stone fruit and tropical flavors, “Krush will lead this blend with Citra and Idaho 7 boosting the citrus and fruity notes,” she says. “HBC 1134 adds a soft undertone of herbal, woody, and floral aromas. I hope brewers get creative with this one; I’m excited to taste the 8th Annual Veterans Blend in a variety of beer styles!”

The Veterans Blend is curated and selected by Veterans working in the beer industry during the Craft Brewers Conference. Along with choosing the hops they want to feature in this impact-driven blend, they also nominate and vote for the nonprofit organization the blend will be raising funds for. This year, YCH is proud to announce its partnership with Soldiers’ Angels.

Soldiers' Angels took shape when Patti Patton began sending care packages to her son in his deployment during Iraq’s initial invasion. Realizing that many of those deployed were not receiving much in the mail, she created a website for people to “adopt” service members overseas, sending them care packages, letters, and cards. By 2013, the United States Postal Service said that Soldiers’ Angels was one of the largest shippers of goods to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Now, Soldiers' Angels has grown into a comprehensive organization serving Veterans through food, care packages, transportation, housing, and holistic support. They serve as a bridge to services and partner with other organizations to offer assistance to Veterans. "We look to fill gaps that other agencies aren't filling,” says Soldiers’ Angels President and CEO Amy Palmer. “Whenever we add programs, we always meet with other large agencies in that space, as well as the VA, to figure out where the gaps exist.” She notes that Soldiers' Angels is the largest food provider in the U.S. for Veterans and military families, offering food assistance through food distributions, food pantries, non-perishable box lunches, and Veterans Affairs cafeteria vouchers.

Many former service members face a gauntlet of applications and end up juggling multiple providers. Soldiers’ Angels helps connect networks and streamline services. "A lot of times, when Veterans have needs, they get sent all over the place. We try to navigate that for them and make sure that they're not stuck in that cycle, because it can add to the mental health challenges they may already have,” says Palmer.

“I am honored to be working with Soldiers’ Angels as this year’s donation recipient. They have roots in the craft beer industry with their Hops for Heroes and Homefront IPA initiatives,” says Jonathan Sikes, YCH Regional Sales Manager Southeast, and Marine Veteran.  “They got on our radar a couple of years ago when they were nominated by a few brewers who spoke highly of the Hops for Heroes program, so I was delighted to see them get the most votes this year! And I was blown away once I started researching their organization and discovered all the different avenues of aid they are providing to support our Veterans.”

Join YCH in raising awareness for Soldiers’ Angels and their important mission. Brewers who use this hop blend are encouraged to help maximize its impact by donating to an organization that supports Veterans or involving Veterans in their community through their brew. Purchase this year’s Veteran’s Blend here, learn more about Soldiers’ Angels, and raise a pint for our dedicated service members.

Pre-order before August 25th to secure your supply; a very limited quantity will be available for spot purchase.

Yakima Chief Hops will donate to Soldiers’ Angels $1 of every pound of Veteran Blend hops sold from August 25, 2025, until May 31st, 2026, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $5,000.