Hey Beer Lovers in Idaho, Did You Know This?

There are actually two things I’m going to ask you about...

1. Did you know today is National Beer Lovers Day?

2. Did you know IDAHO is the second largest producer of hops?

According to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, “Idaho is ranked second in commercial hop production in the United States.” Oregon and Washington are other large producers, and together they produce more beer than anywhere else in the country.

So... not only are we a leading producer of potatoes, barley, peppermint, and alfalfa hay... but we also have a lot of hops here in Idaho. I recently spent some time in Wilder, Idaho, and let’s just say all I saw were hops fields — and it was really beautiful.

If you don’t know very much about hops and how they’re used for beer, a blog from Get ‘Er Brewed says...

“They're used in brewing beer for two main reasons: as a bittering agent and as a flavoring/aroma agent. When used for bittering, hops are added early in the brewing process to balance out the sweetness of the malt.”

I’ve also found in my research that hops are used as preservatives and can help keep beer on the shelves.

Keep scrolling for local breweries in the Boise area and Idaho Agriculture facts that will blow your mind 👇