Beer tourism is alive and well. It is especially evident around Seattle this time of year, when people have other reasons for visiting but do not miss the opportunity to drink some of Washington’s great beer directly from the source. Don’t believe me? Visit one of Seattle’s breweries and ask them. The people responsible for promoting tourism in the Yakima Valley know what I’m talking about.
The Yakima Visitors and Convention Bureau just launched a website to help promote the area’s breweries and distilleries. The Spirits and Hops Trail provides online mapping capabilities to tasting destinations throughout the valley.
The Yakima Valley is widely recognized for its wine production, and a lot of people visit the region for wine tasting, but in recent years the area has seen the opening of new breweries and distilleries, along with the opening of Tieton Cider Works (the largest producer of hard artisan cider in the state). In addition to guiding people directly to the sources of the beer, spirits and cider, the Spirits and Hops Trail features other libations destinations, such as restaurants and bars serving locally crafted adult beverages.
Visit the new website at http://www.visityakima.com/spirits-and-hops/.
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Here’s the press release:
SPIRITS AND HOPS TRAIL WEBSITE TO HELP YAKIMA VALLEY VISITORS NAVIGATE CRAFT BREWERIES, CIDERIES AND DISTILLERIES
New online resource highlights the region’s agricultural heritage and directs visitors to tasty destinations
Yakima, Wash. (July 16, 2013) – The Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau has launched the Spirits and Hops Trail website (www.SpiritsandHopsTrail.com) to help tourists easily navigate the growing number of local craft breweries, cideries and distilleries throughout the region.
In the last five years, the region has welcomed three breweries, three distilleries and the largest producer of hard artisan cider in the state. The new site provides information and online mapping capabilities for these new businesses, and many more tasting destinations throughout the Yakima Valley, including restaurants that feature locally crafted adult beverages.
The Yakima Valley is the top agricultural region in Washington State. In addition to growing 40 varieties of crops, the Valley produces 78 percent of the nation’s hops. For decades, commercial and craft breweries across the country and globe have relied on the quality hops grown in the Valley for their products.
Tourism leaders believe this project will complement the thriving wine industry of the Yakima Valley. “Our agricultural heritage is a foundation of our visitor industry,” stated John Cooper, president and CEO of the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau. “It’s only natural that we should celebrate our role in the beer and distillery industries.” Cooper stated the visitors bureau will be marketing the site through a number of media channels, publicity and outreach to special interest groups.
The website also contains a history of the hops industry, a blog with guest authors and a calendar of events of interest to beer, cider and spirits enthusiasts.
About Yakima Valley, Wash.
Located in south central Washington, the Yakima Valley is the oldest, largest and most diverse wine growing region in Washington State, producing nearly half of the state’s wine grapes. With more than 120 wineries, in addition to acres of rolling vineyards, orchards and hop fields the valley is considered to be the epicenter of Washington’s wine and agricultural regions. This regional abundance invites visitors to indulge in farm fresh meals paired with local wines, along with one-of-a-kind delicacies – like Chukar Cherries, locally grown dried cherries, or Blue Barn Farm’s handmade goat cheese – fresh from the source. Located two to three hours from Seattle, Spokane or Portland, the sun-soaked valley is also rich in cultural heritage and outdoor recreation including fly-fishing, river-rafting, hiking and biking. For more information, visit www.visityakimavalley.org.
