Tiptoe Through the Hop Fields with Schooner EXACT Brewing

It’s almost time for one of the most glorious events of the year: hop harvest. And you are invited to witness it firsthand with Schooner EXACT Brewing.

Right now, there is a quiet solitude about the hop fields. Rows and rows of towering hop bines insulate Darren Gamache from the outside world. He walks his fields every day, sometimes twice a day, row after row. It’s peaceful, serene, but it won’t last long.

hop_harvest_3-683x1024I promise you that he’s out there today, picking a few cones here and there, gently ripping each one open to evaluate it with his fingers, his nose, his eyes, and his intuition. There are devices that detect the amount of moisture in the cones, and Virgil Gamache Farms uses those devices, but Darren’s senses are probably just as accurate. When the moisture level in the cones reaches the perfect level (about 75 percent), it is time to harvest.


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That’s when the quiet solitude of the hop field ends and the orchestrated frenzy of the hop harvest begins. It is something that every beer lover should witness at least once. Not everyone gets the chance, but you have an opportunity to go experience the hop harvest firsthand.

Schooner EXACT Brewing invites you to join them for a field trip to Virgil Gamache Farms in Toppenish, Washington. You will witness the harvest, learning about the process of getting hops from the field to your pint glass. More than that, you will actually participate in the process, harvesting hops and then making a fresh hop beer with them right there on the farm. Perhaps the freshest of all fresh hop beers. You also get to enjoy a special dinner prepared on the farm by Chef Warren Peterson (menu below).

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I attended last year’s hop harvest field trip and had a blast. It was spectacular. (Photo gallery below.)

This year’s field trip is on Saturday, September 6th, 8:30 am – 9:00 pm. The trip includes:

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  • Roundtrip transportation on a luxury coach.
  • Continental breakfast before you depart the brewery in Seattle.
  • A light sack lunch.
  • A Gourmet picnic dinner, created by Chef Warren Peterson and prepared on the farm.
  • Exclusive tour of Virgil Gamache Farms during the busiest and most exciting time of year.
  • You’ll get to harvest fresh hops straight from the bines and then participate in brewing a Fresh Hop IPA.
  • You’ll get a commemorative bottle of the beer you helped brew and a bottle of Schooner EXACT’s fresh hop IPA*.

Ticket price of $150/person (alcohol not included**).

Space is Limited.

Tickets:
Schooner EXACT Brewing
3901 1st Ave. South,
Seattle
or call (206) 432-9734

*to be picked up at brewery after bottling

**DUE to licensing restrictions, event is BYOB. Taproom will be open at 8:00 A.M. to accommodate same-day beer purchases.

Dinner Menu

  • Summer Nectarine Salad. arugula, feta, marcona almonds
  • Corn on the Cob. chili honey butter
  • Macaroni Salad. celery, scallion, buttermilk dressing
  • Grilled Zucchini Salad. cherry tomatoes, garlic oil, red wine vinegar
  • Watermelon Slices
  • Macrina Bread. butter
  • Slow Roasted Glazed Beef Brisket. tangy mop sauce
  • Summer Shortcake.  seasonal fruit, cream

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