Brew Beer / The Hops

Ales for ALS™ Exclusive Hop Blend

Each year Yakima Chief Hops and master brewers develop a unique hop blend that is exclusive to the Ales for ALS™ program. Learn more about the newest hop blend that you could use to brew your own Ales for ALS™ beer.
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2026 Hop Blend

The Ales for ALS™ 2026 Hop Blend (Crop Year 2025) features Simcoe®, Citra®, Ekuanot®, and Columbus! Our blend was selected for its citrus and floral notes, and delivers berry, tropical, woody, and stone fruit character.
Characteristic
Typical Analysis
Actual Analysis
Alpha Acids:
2.5 - 17.5% (w/w)
UV Spectro by ASBC HOPS - 6A
14.7%
Beta Acids:
3.0 - 9.0% (w/w)
UV Spectro by ASBC HOPS - 6A
4.1%
Hop Storage Index:
Hop Storage Index Varies by Variety and Time from Harvest - 0.242
0.242
Oil by Distillation:
Varies by Variety - 2.5
ASBC HOPS - 13% (%v/w)
2.5
Oil Profile by GC, EBC Analytica V 7.12:
B-Pinene:
0.6%
Myrcene:
48.7%
Linalool:
0.5%
Caryophyllene:
8.1%
Farnesene:
0.2%
Humulene:
13.6%
Geraniol:
0.5%
Heavy Metals
Lead:
< 0.6 ppm
Passes Test
Arsenic:
< 0.4 ppm
Passes Test
Cadmium:
< 0.1 ppm
Passes Test
Mercury:
< 0.05 ppm
Passes Test
Total Heavy Metals:
< 10 ppm (asPb)
Passes Test
Characteristic
Alpha Acids
Typical Analysis
2.5 - 17.5% (w/w)
UV Spectro by ASBC HOPS - 6A
Actual Analysis
14.7%
Characteristic
Beta Acids
Typical Analysis
3.0 - 9.0% (w/w)
UV Spectro by ASBC HOPS - 6A
Actual Analysis
4.1%
Characteristic
Hop Storage Index
Typical Analysis
Hop Storage Index Varies by Variety and Time from Harvest - 0.242
Actual Analysis
0.242
Characteristic
Oil by Distillation
Typical Analysis
Varies by Variety - 2.5
ASBC HOPS - 13% (%v/w)
Actual Analysis
2.5
Oil Profile by GC, EBC Analytica V 7.12:
B-Pinene:
0.6%
Myrcene:
48.7%
Linalool:
0.5%
Caryophyllene:
8.1%
Farnesene:
0.2%
Humulene:
13.6%
Geraniol:
0.5%
Heavy Metals
Lead:
< 0.6 ppm
Passes Test
Arsenic:
< 0.4 ppm
Passes Test
Cadmium:
< 0.1 ppm
Passes Test
Mercury:
< 0.05 ppm
Passes Test
Total Heavy Metals:
< 10 ppm (asPb)
Passes Test

Who provides the hops

In 2013 the Smith family created Ales for ALS™. Today they continue offering participating breweries an experimental hop blend, free of charge, through their hop farm.

About Loftus Ranches

B.T. Loftus Ranches Inc. is one of the Yakima Valley's longest running hop farms. In 1920, the Loftus family moved to Moxee, Washington in pursuit of work on the railroad and began farming a variety of crops and livestock. With the end of the Prohibition era, B.T. and Leota Loftus planted the family's first hop field in 1932. Today, Loftus Ranches is owned and operated by third generation hop growers Mike and Cheryl (Hanses) Smith. The fourth generation of the family to grow hops is represented by their oldest son, Patrick, who joined the business in 2008. Loftus Ranches has ownership in Select Botanicals Group and the Hop Breeding Company. The Ranch raises significant acreage of Simcoe®, Citra®, Palisade®, Mosaic®, Warrior® and Tomahawk® in addition to several experimental hop varieties. Loftus Ranches is one of the largest growers for the craft beer industry, valuing quality, sustainability and innovation. They are dedicated to their craft and look forward to growing varieties that meet the needs of microbrewers for many years to come.
About Loftus Ranches
Yakima Chief Hops

About Yakima Chief Hops

In 2006, Yakima Chief, Inc. and Hopunion LLC combined their respective craft beer business segments in an agreement which allowed Hopunion to focus solely on craft brewing customers, and Yakima Chief on larger global markets. This initial market segmentation created a culture where Hopunion was influenced by independent artisan brewers, while Yakima Chief was impacted by process and the ability to meet customer requirements for compliance with supplier audits and quality criteria.
As craft breweries became larger and more unified in their focus on quality, sustainable practices and consistency of product, demand for both companies began to overlap. The ownership of Hopunion and Yakima Chief commissioned a study in 2013 to research the feasibility of a full business merger and whether or not the resulting new company would be better equipped to serve the entire brewing community.
Inspired by the shared vision of connecting family hop farms with the world's finest brewers, Yakima Chief, Inc. and Hopunion LLC decided to fully combine operations on July 31, 2014. The resulting new company, now known today as Yakima Chief Hops (YCH), is a 100% grower-owned global hop supplier.