Here is the history, straight from the source…
“We started building Yakima Craft Brewing Co. in December of 2007. We sold our first beer in June of 2008. Even though we are a young brewery, there is a lot of history here.
As beer fans, you probably know that the Yakima Valley is responsible for producing around 75% of the hop crop grown in the U.S.A. As the major producer of hop, you would think that this area is closely tied to the craft beer industry. And you’d be right. Most of the major US hop growers and processors are here, as well as hop industry organizations.
More than this, many would argue that the craft beer industry wouldn’t be as it is today without one particular figure; Bert Grant. Bert isn’t the only figure in craft beer, but many would argue that he was the one with most initial impact, founding Bert Grant’s Real Ales in 1982 in the Opera House here in Yakima.
Bert Grant, Grant’s Real Ales and Yakima Brewing & Malting are no longer with us. However, we are fortunate enough to use Bert’s original boil kettle for our brewing.
This is an all-copper kettle, which gives us better ability to caramelize sugars, adds some nutrients for the yeast, and much more. We are proud to be able to continue this legacy through our beer.
If there was a museum for brewing equipment, this kettle would be in it. But, we’re pretty sure that Bert would rather we use it to make beer.
We are a very small brewery, just 3 1/2 barrels (BBL)- tiny by commercial standards. We don’t filter or pasteurize our beer, as we see beer as a food best enjoyed fresh and local.
We’ll continue to brew and bring good beer to beer fans everywhere, from right here in Yakima, where we live and work.”