BCI’s Alicia Adler, Cienna Reed, Mellesse Williams, and Evan Pearson participated in the Brewers Association's annual “Hopsource” event held in Yakima, WA. The event plays a critical role in gathering sensory data and analysis on experimental hop varieties making their way through the USDA Public Breeding Programs in Corvallis, OR, and Prosser, WA.
Over a three-day period, brewers visiting Yakima for hop selection are invited to Yakima Valley Hops to sniff over 15 experimental varieties and provide sensory feedback using the app called “SampleOx.” Based on this feedback from brewers, USDA research geneticists decide which varieties to advance in the breeding program.
As the firm overseeing the management of the Hop Research Council, BCI has worked closely with USDA, the Brewers Association, and HRC membership to increase grower and brewer engagement in the hop breeding and selection process, with the common goal of releasing new varieties to meet the evolving needs of hop growers and brewers.
Click here to learn more about BCI's integral role in supporting the Brewers Association.
