Alaska Airlines shipped hops 2,700 miles so a brewery in Hawaii could make a specific kind of beer

Brady MacDonaldDec 3, 2022, 18:42 IST

49th State Brewery49th State Brewery/Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines delivered 1,200 pounds of Pacific Northwest hops to Maui and Anchorage breweries.
No US airline has ever undertaken a beer run of such proportions.

In an industry first, Alaska Airlines delivered 1,287 pounds of farm-fresh Pacific Northwest hops to Maui and Anchorage so local breweries could make West Coast IPAs.

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

India Pale Ales have become the definitive style of many breweries in California, Oregon, and Washington – with many fortunes made and lost trying to craft the next great West Coast IPA.

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

India Pale Ales have become the definitive style of many breweries in California, Oregon, and Washington – with many fortunes made and lost trying to craft the next great West Coast IPA.

The key ingredient in a West Coast IPA: Hops grown mostly in Washington and Oregon.

49th State Brewery49th State Brewery/Alaska Airlines

There's a reason breweries in Hawaii and Alaska don't brew many West Coast IPAs.

Maui BrewingMaui Brewing/Alaska Airlines

Undried hops are typically rushed from farm to brewery as soon as they are harvested to be added fresh to the boil during the beer-making process.

Maui BrewingMaui Brewing/Alaska Airlines

The hero of this story? Jake Spotts – a beer lover, US Air Force veteran, and postal affairs manager on Alaska Airlines cargo team.

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

Spotts fell in love with beer during his 20-year military career that took him all over the world.

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

His conclusion after tasting beers around the globe: There's nothing better than the taste of fresh hops during harvest.

Maui BrewingMaui Brewing/Alaska Airlines

Then one day Spotts had an idea: If Alaska Airlines could ship fresh salmon to the lower 48 states and around the world, why couldn't the carrier deliver fresh Northwest hops across the Pacific?

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

Then one day Spotts had an idea: If Alaska Airlines could ship fresh salmon to the lower 48 states and around the world, why couldn't the carrier deliver fresh Northwest hops across the Pacific?

For starters, no US airline had ever undertaken a beer run of such epic proportions on that grand of a commercial scale.

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

The key logistical hurdle: Delivering more than half a ton of perishable fresh hops...

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

...within 24 hours of harvest from Loftus Ranches in Yakima, Washington to Maui Brewing Co. in Hawaii and 49th State Brewing in Alaska.

Bale Breaker BrewingBale Breaker Brewing/Alaska Airlines

The biggest challenge: Brewers only have about 24 hours before the harvested hops start to degrade.

Bale Breaker BrewingBale Breaker Brewing/Alaska Airlines

Maui Brewing and 49th State collaborated on the world's biggest beer run with Bale Breaker Brewing...

Maui BrewingMaui Brewing/Alaska Airlines

...which just happens to be located on the Loftus Ranches family-owned hop farm.

Bale Breaker BrewingBale Breaker Brewing/Alaska Airlines

The hop harvest at Loftus Ranches had to be timed perfectly.

Bale Breaker BrewingBale Breaker Brewing/Alaska Airlines

Harvested hops were bagged, loaded into refrigerated trucks, and driven to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Bale Breaker BrewingBale Breaker Brewing/Alaska Airlines

Alaska air cargo crews loaded the freshly-harvested crops onto waiting planes and shipped the hops non-stop to Maui and Anchorage.

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

The brewers in Hawaii and Alaska immediately added the Pacific Northwest hops to the boil stage of the beer-making process.

Maui BrewingMaui Brewing/Alaska Airlines

The resulting beers: Freshial Delivery Hazy Fresh Hop IPA from Alaska's 49th State Brewing and Hop Cargo Fresh Hop IPA from Hawaii's Maui Brewing.

49th State Brewery49th State Brewery/Alaska Airlines

IPAs from the three brewers involved in the transpacific collaboration will be served at Alaska Airlines airport lounges in Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage…

Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines

…until the 200 kegs run dry or another beer run is hatched.

Maui BrewingMaui Brewing/Alaska Airlines

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Alaska Airlines shipped hops 2,700 miles so a brewery in Hawaii could make a specific kind of beer

In an industry first, Alaska Airlines delivered 1,287 pounds of farm-fresh Pacific Northwest hops to Maui and Anchorage so local breweries could make West Coast IPAs.

India Pale Ales have become the definitive style of many breweries in California, Oregon, and Washington – with many fortunes made and lost trying to craft the next great West Coast IPA.

The key ingredient in a West Coast IPA: Hops grown mostly in Washington and Oregon.

There's a reason breweries in Hawaii and Alaska don't brew many West Coast IPAs.

Undried hops are typically rushed from farm to brewery as soon as they are harvested to be added fresh to the boil during the beer-making process.

The hero of this story? Jake Spotts – a beer lover, US Air Force veteran, and postal affairs manager on Alaska Airlines cargo team.

Spotts fell in love with beer during his 20-year military career that took him all over the world.

His conclusion after tasting beers around the globe: There's nothing better than the taste of fresh hops during harvest.

Then one day Spotts had an idea: If Alaska Airlines could ship fresh salmon to the lower 48 states and around the world, why couldn't the carrier deliver fresh Northwest hops across the Pacific?

For starters, no US airline had ever undertaken a beer run of such epic proportions on that grand of a commercial scale.

The key logistical hurdle: Delivering more than half a ton of perishable fresh hops...

...within 24 hours of harvest from Loftus Ranches in Yakima, Washington to Maui Brewing Co. in Hawaii and 49th State Brewing in Alaska.

The biggest challenge: Brewers only have about 24 hours before the harvested hops start to degrade.

Maui Brewing and 49th State collaborated on the world's biggest beer run with Bale Breaker Brewing...

...which just happens to be located on the Loftus Ranches family-owned hop farm.

The hop harvest at Loftus Ranches had to be timed perfectly.

Harvested hops were bagged, loaded into refrigerated trucks, and driven to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Alaska air cargo crews loaded the freshly-harvested crops onto waiting planes and shipped the hops non-stop to Maui and Anchorage.

The brewers in Hawaii and Alaska immediately added the Pacific Northwest hops to the boil stage of the beer-making process.

The resulting beers: Freshial Delivery Hazy Fresh Hop IPA from Alaska's 49th State Brewing and Hop Cargo Fresh Hop IPA from Hawaii's Maui Brewing.

IPAs from the three brewers involved in the transpacific collaboration will be served at Alaska Airlines airport lounges in Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage…

…until the 200 kegs run dry or another beer run is hatched.