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For many beer drinkers, the conversation around American hops begins and ends with Washington’s Yakima Valley or Oregon’s Willamette Valley. These regions have long dominated hop production, supplying breweries with some of the most sought-after varieties in the industry. 

But there’s another major player that deserves just as much attention: Idaho.

Idaho is no longer a hidden gem in the hop world—it’s a powerhouse. The state now accounts for over 13% of U.S. hop production, ranking second in the nation behind Washington and ahead of Oregon. With its rich volcanic soil, optimal climate, and dedication to innovation, Idaho has become a breeding ground for exceptional hop varieties, many of which are developed by multi-generational, family-owned farms.

And at Mill 95, Idaho’s only independent, in-state hop processing facility, our mission is to connect brewers with the incredible flavors that Idaho-grown hops have to offer. 

It’s why we were thrilled to collaborate with Duck Foot Brewing—a San Diego-based craft brewery known for its creativity and hop-forward beers—on a project that puts Idaho hops front and center.

An IPA That Lets Idaho Hops Shine

Released during the American Hop Convention in San Diego—a gathering of hop growers, brewers, and industry professionals—Invaders from Idaho is a West Coast IPA brewed specifically to highlight three distinctive hop varieties developed and cultivated in Idaho:

• Idaho 7 – A modern classic known for its big tropical fruit, citrus, and resinous pine character.

• Idaho Gem – Bursting with candied fruit flavors, including red berry, citrus, and a hint of spice.

• Experimental ID-158 (‘Pink’) – A newer variety that brings ripe strawberry, bubble gum, and bright citrus zest to the mix.

To ensure these hops took center stage, Duck Foot kept the recipe simple, using Pilsner malt, wheat malt, and a clean yeast strain to provide a crisp, light foundation. The hops were added throughout the brewing process, from the kettle all the way through two rounds of dry-hopping, maximizing the impact of their aromatic and flavor compounds.

The result? A bright, balanced, and incredibly drinkable IPA that showcases the depth and complexity of Idaho-grown hops.

A Brewer’s Perspective on Idaho Hops

As Duck Foot’s Head Brewer, Matt Akin, explained:

"We wanted to make sure those farmers could recognize their work in this beer. We kept the recipe simple… Pilsner malt, wheat malt, a clean yeast, and lots of hops. Idaho 7, Idaho Gem, and Experimental ID-158 were used from kettle additions through two rounds of dry-hopping, and that combination yields a bright and vibrant flavor profile. Fresh lemon peel, ripe strawberries, and bubble gum all leap from the glass and pull you in for a taste, balanced by a light, piney resin note. The beer finishes clean and dry, leaving you ready to enjoy more of the excellent work done by the farmers at Gooding Farms and Jackson Farms in Idaho. Cheers to them for their dedication to growing high-quality hops for all of us to enjoy!”

Idaho Hops: A Growing Force in Brewing

At Mill 95, we believe Idaho-grown hops deserve a bigger spotlight in the brewing world. The state’s unique terroir produces hops with a wide spectrum of flavors—from bold citrus and stone fruit to herbal, spicy, and resinous characteristics—offering brewers an expansive palette to create innovative, high-quality beers.

Collaborations like this one with Duck Foot Brewing help introduce more brewers and beer drinkers to the depth, diversity, and pure quality of Idaho hops. Whether it’s established varieties like Idaho 7 and Idaho Gem, or promising newcomers like Experimental ID-158, Idaho’s hop industry is pushing boundaries and redefining what’s possible in hop-forward beer styles.

A Cheers to Idaho Hops and the Brewers Who Champion Them

Invaders from Idaho isn’t just an IPA—it’s a testament to the work of Idaho’s hop growers, brewers, and everyone dedicated to the craft. At Mill 95, we’re honored to be part of this movement, helping connect breweries with hops that elevate their beer and introduce new layers of flavor to drinkers everywhere.

So, the next time you enjoy a beer brewed with Idaho-grown hops, raise a glass to the farmers, brewers, and innovators behind it. And if you haven’t yet experienced what Idaho hops can do, Invaders from Idaho is a perfect place to start.

Mill 95 has teamed up with Mammoth Brewing to bring a new and exciting beer to market. Mammoth Brewing is located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains of California and is well known for its multi-award-winning Double Nut Brown Ale. Using the latest and greatest experimental hops in the industry, YQH-1320, and Pink, we have collaborated to create a beer that is packed full of new aromas and flavors for the world to try. 
Christian Hawley, Sales Executive, Mill 95

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Mill 95 and I started planning for the collaboration with Mammoth Brewing in January of this year. We knew that there were plenty of unique Idaho varietals out there, and plenty of experimental varietals from the Pacific NW, but being able to work closely with someone with so much experience in the hop world was a huge opportunity for us. From the start Christian and the Mill 95 crew had Pink and YQH1320 on our radar. After discussing lineage, profile, acid content, and taking a look at the COA sheet, we knew we would be able to build an IPA around these hops. On Mill 95’s advice, we also chose to use a smaller portion of Idaho-grown Chinook as part of our whirlpool addition.

First, we started with our grain bill. We were a few pilot batches into developing another year-round hazy for one of our brands, and we wanted to keep playing with malted oats due to their texture, beautiful opacity, and the bonus of creating an incredibly lauterable grist even when loaded with high percentages of malted wheat and flaked grains.

Since we wanted this to be a sessionable seasonal brew we targeted 6.5% ABV for drinkability, and prefer that these beers are relatively dry (3-4 Plato) compared to some Hazies. This created a challenge to maximize hop compounds while limiting bitterness. Pink was measuring 13.2% Alpha Acid (AA) while YQH1320 was closer to 9% AA. While these numbers are nowhere near the AA of a dedicated bittering hop, they definitely had the potential to overstate their bitterness and wash out some of their aroma if we weren’t responsible.

With all of this to consider we decided to use Pink at the 15 minute mark at around ¼ lb. per barrel for a few IBU’s and a little aroma, and used the Idaho Chinook and YQH1320 in the whirlpool totalling just under 1 lb per barrel. We had been experimenting last year with Thiolized yeasts and testing the limits of survivable hop compounds in our kettle, so we were confident Chinook and YQH1320 would give some positive results in the whirlpool despite the non-thiolized yeast we use year round.

When the hops arrived the day before the brew, we immediately cut into the bags to see what we were working with. Pink was first up, and we found it to be spot on with the description we were provided: Soft tropical fruit and strawberries. We cut into YQH1320 next and found it to be very punchy on it’s citrus zest characteristics, lemon and lime specifically. Pink was the predetermined rockstar here and we dry hopped about 3:1 alongside YQH1320. The resulting beer had a lovely blend of soft tropical esters, mango, pineapple, melon/berries, complemented by the brighter zest characteristics from YQH1320.

While the beer had all of the aromas that we desired, we may reduce our late kettle additions in the future and move some of those hops to the whirlpool to slightly reduce the bitterness contributed by these hops. We were thrilled with the attributes and quality of each hop but of course we always see room to make hazies softer and more pillow-like, which is what makes this stye to much fun to play around with!

Big thank you to Christian, Amaya, the farmers, and the whole Mill 95 crew. The beer did great at it’s debut pouring at the California Craft Brewers Conference (CCBA) in Sacramento and we look forward to our continued relationship with them and cracking into more fun and experimental projects in the future!

Author: Garrett Margolis, Mammoth Brewing Group, Head Brewer

Over a decade ago, El Dorado® made its debut in Idaho. The relatively new variety at the time had only been planted at one other farm – owner and developer, CLS Farms in the Yakima Valley. 

Idaho’s similar climate and abundant hop-growing region made it an ideal place to first expand the variety to more growers, which provides a necessary geographic diversity that inherently de-risks the variety.

Originally intended for the alpha market, El Dorado® attracted brewers' attention not only for its high alpha acids but also for its spectrum of aromas, which include tropical and stone fruit flavors. Today, El Dorado® is a top variety among brewers with growers in five states.

Demand for El Dorado® coincided with the rapid growth of the craft beer industry. In 2013, Stone and Drake’s Brewing made a collaboration beer featuring El Dorado®. Subsequently, more brewers began incorporating this new hop into their portfolios.

To adequately meet that demand, CLS Farms needed to quickly expand acreage itself and to other growers from 2012 to 2020. This meant enlisting additional growers to provide geographical diversity and volume for the market.

Obendorf Farms, a longtime grower in Idaho, became a natural fit given their investment in well-maintained harvesting facilities, willingness to take on a challenging variety to grow, and open acreage. Today, Obendorf Farms – located in the Treasure Valley of Idaho – has become one of the prominent growers of El Dorado® in Idaho.

Part of El Dorado®’s genetic lineage is rooted in the Southwest United States, home of the Neomexicanus hop species. With unique aromas, these hops can be difficult to grow. Its great-great-grandfather is a Colorado native male hop variety. CLS Farms also owns and grows Zappa® and Medusa™, the only two 100% Neomexicanus varieties grown commercially.

Agronomically, to achieve high yields, El Dorado® takes more work than others. In 2021, CLS Farms created the Grower Guide to provide a roadmap for maintaining quality and achieving higher yields. Obendorf Farms had already been collaborating with the CLS team to ensure this quality was met through several practices.

This included moving poles when switching fields to reduce off-types, training early for proper bloom timing, drying at lower temperatures, and delivering quickly to Mill 95 for faster pelletization. The combination of proper growing practices and a similar climate allowed for El Dorado® to grow well in Idaho.

The Yakima Valley and the Treasure Valley have similar landscapes – both are considered high deserts and experience four seasons. Idaho experiences a slightly warmer summer, though its day lengths tend to be shorter, comparatively.

Many of the El Dorado® fields in Idaho are planted where the soil makeup contains more sand, allowing for better drainage and root penetration. Brock Obendorf – owner and manager of Obendorf Farms – noted that these differences present in El Dorado® with an earlier harvest date than what occurs in Yakima and sometimes more pungent aromas.

El Dorado®’s vast picking window allows for a spectrum of aromas. Early maturity evokes aromas of citrus, while middle maturity evokes watermelon and pear. For deeper aromas, peak maturity elicits tropical aromas like pineapple and mango, stone fruit, candy lemon, and cherry. This year, Idaho-grown El Dorado® developed a mild maple aroma among the standard ones listed above.

Brewers looking to incorporate El Dorado® into their hops bills and achieve these flavors can do so by adding it throughout the brewing process.

To utilize El Dorado® on the hot side of a brewing operation, it can be added to the kettle during the boil for its clean bittering qualities. When used in late kettle additions, it elicits a more focused, bright flavor.

It also finds a great home in the whirlpool for sweet and citrus flavors. Most notably, El Dorado® in the dry-hop imparts a mix of fruit-forward flavors like pineapple, lemon, watermelon candy, peach rings, and mango.

El Dorado®’s name refers to the Lost City of Gold because of the deep, gold lupulin on the inside of the cone that holds all those aromas. Brewers often refer to it as “ElDo” for short.

The hop’s fun, tropical, and sometimes '80s-themed branding aims to provide a distinct experience for brewers using El Dorado®. It prioritizes not only its functional benefits but also the excitement it evokes, creating a positive experience for everyone involved, from the grower to the consumer.

El Dorado® remains a dominant variety for brewers. Its ability to work well with other hops, such as Citra®, Mosaic®, Centennial, and Cashmere, gives brewers options for imparting more nuanced flavor profiles. High alpha acids and total oils allow for flexibility throughout the brewing process as well.

Though still early, brewers will be happy to hear that the 2023 growing season is off to a good start in both Washington and Idaho. Snowpacks in both states appear to be above normal while the spring looks to have slightly below normal temperatures for both areas, but growers remain optimistic.

You can follow along with El Dorado® on social media at @eldoradohops or by visiting our website at www.eldoradohops.com.
Brewing an ElDo beer? Tag us on Instagram! We'd love to reshare it.

SHOP EL DORADO®

Claire Desmarais
Marketing & Sales Manager, CLS Farms

About the author: Claire Desmarais is the sales and marketing manager for CLS Farms. She has spent her life surrounded by hops. She joined the family farm in 2020 as a sales and marketing manager. Usually working behind the scenes, Claire coordinates educational seminars, curates events, manages the farms' social media accounts, writes articles, and runs the fresh hop program every year. 

Craft brewers around the world are always in search of something new, something different, something to create the next fantastic beer. What’s going to be the next Citra? Or Ekuanot? Sabro? Where do these new varieties come from?

Many of them come from highly sophisticated and methodologically planned breeding programs, that can take up to ten years to develop and launch commercially. You can include the Hopsteiner and HBC proprietaries in that bucket, along with just released Vista™, developed by the Hop Research Council.

And honestly, some of them are also accidents or found varieties. Good examples include Amarillo and Idaho Gem. The Amarillo story is a great one (and we can definitely see how it can happen). It was accidentally discovered by Virgil Gamache Farms in 1990 when they found it growing alongside their Liberty field. They began cultivating it and then patented it as a new variety. It was originally patented under the identifier of VGXP01.

“First, we’ve had several pre-launches of the E.C. Dahls Montana Cold IPA from north to south in Norway...and people totally love it!!! That for sure includes me. The Ahhhroma is really something special!”
Kristian Berger, E.C. Dahls Brewery (Carlsburg), Trondheim, Norway

You can add to that group, the origin of the new proprietary variety from Glacier Hops Ranch, Ahhhroma™. When our original research hopyard was established, by 2014 we had as many as 44 different varieties being grown there.

We can safely say that it came out of the Research Hopyard at Glacier Hops Ranch (GHR), but that’s about all we can knowingly say about the origin. What we found when these rogue plants grew to maturity was an amazing aroma. We cultivated more and we found they did extremely well in Northwest Montana.

“Our Ahhhroma™ collab with you turned out great.  It’s an awesome super light bodied 4.3% abv hazy pale that has great aroma and a nice tropical hop profile with a little bitter punch that rounds it all out.”
Brock Carson, Bike Rack Brewing, Bentonville, AR

We knew the oils were high, because of how sticky the hop cones were when ripe. Turns out that they average between 2.5 to 3.5% oil content. The real surprise was the Alpha Acids which came in between 16.5% and 17.8%. Ahhhroma was not just dual purpose but was an EXTREME dual purpose hop.

The aroma itself is not a “me-too”, in the world of aroma varieties that thrive in a world of IPAs. The original lab report showed that it smacked of a Pina Colada, with subsequent analysis showing heavy pineapple, lime, mango, stone fruit, and watermelon with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. 

GHR felt that this hop variety was worth pursuing since it was found in 2016. A small amount of Ahhhroma was cultivated initially, and it all went into GHR’s proprietary Hopzoil™ steam-distilled, wet-hop extract. However, the harvest of 2021 was the first year that there was enough volume to process into T-90 pellets, and the initial lot came in with high marks.  

Excellent agronomics help too. Ahhhroma is relatively high-yielding for an Aroma variety and seems fairly resistant to downy and powdery mildew. It was found to make exceptional pellets, that held together well without disintegrating into fines, and yet dissolved well during the brewing process. 

“We really enjoyed the Ahhhroma hops. It seems to be the best double hazy that we have made. It has enough complexity and intensity but is still soft overall to not overwhelm in a high hop loaded beer.” 
Patrick Raasch, Sunriver Brewing, Sunriver, OR

In the last several months, nearly 100 breweries around the world have launched collaborations in partnerships using Ahhhroma hop pellets in a surprising variety of beer styles, and some include a topping off of Hopzoil to bump the dry-hopping sensory profile. It’s been used in everything from all forms of IPAs to Kolsch and other lighter styles. The creativity and imagination of Craft brewers have never ceased to amaze.

Interested in trying Ahhhroma in a collab yourself? Reach out to your sales executive at Mill 95 for more information. There are some requirements, but it’s all in the name of gaining knowledge about this EXTREME dual-purpose hop.

Give it a try. I think you might like it.

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Author: Tom Britz
Founder & CEO, Glacier Hops Ranch 

It's (finally) spring and hop growers in Idaho are gearing up for another growing season. Idaho is the second largest hop-producing state in the United States, and springtime is a crucial time for growers as they prepare their fields for the upcoming growing season.

In SW Idaho, growers typically begin their preparations in late winter or early spring, depending on weather conditions. This includes tasks like pruning, irrigation system preparation, planting, stringing/twining, and training. All vital, and thoughtfully timed steps to ensure a successful growing season and harvest. 

Pruning:  When hops emerge from dormancy they are often mechanically or chemically pruned. This encourages strong, secondary growth. Bines can take several weeks to regrow before they can be trained so the timing of pruning is crucial. 

Irrigation:  Hops in Idaho are watered by drip irrigation systems to maximize efficiency, and deliver nutrients directly to the plant root. Tubes with emitters are laid on the ground near the root zone. These tubes are removed each fall before harvest and replaced at the start of each growing season. 

Planting:  In the instance of new fields or replacing a variety in an existing field, pots (like a start you might purchase for your garden) or rhizomes are planted. Hop rhizomes are small sections of root from a mature hop plant that can be replanted to grow a new plant. It can take up to three years (in Idaho) for the plants to reach full maturity and optimum production. 

Stringing/Twining: Stringing hops is tying a string to the top wire of the hop trellis and stapling the end of the twine into the ground next to the hop plant. This gives the bines something to grow up. 

Training:  Arguably one of the most crucial stages of the growing process, involves manually wrapping the bines around the string in a clockwise direction in order to encourage vertical growth. The timing is so crucial because hops trained deliberately at the appropriate time can produce higher yields. 

Though the spring season may appear uneventful from the outside eye, it is a busy and important time for growers. There is never a dull moment and timing is crucial to the success of the rest of the season and harvest. The hard work, dedication, and commitment of these growers make it possible for Idaho to produce some of the best hops in the world. Therefore providing the best quality hops to Mill 95 and you (the brewer). 

Top: Crews in the field staking strings into the base of the hop plant.

Bottom: Hop plants growing alongside two drip irrigation tubes.