If you’re planning a meeting in Idaho, you’ll want to be sure and have a beer break on the itinerary. The state is the top barley producer in the United States and the second-top producer of hops. This agricultural abundance means that Idaho’s 80-plus breweries have local access to some of the world’s best beer-making ingredients.
Every April, Idaho Craft Beer Month celebrates its diverse breweries and the unique flavors that define Idaho beer. The celebration’s signature event, Pints Up Idaho, kicks off the festivities with a statewide pint day. That’s followed throughout the month by brewery events, including beer-pairing dinners, new beer releases, trivia nights and live music.
But one full month to commemorate Idaho’s hops and agriculture heritage isn’t sufficient. That’s why the first annual Hops & Crops Festival in Caldwell is being inaugurated on September 24. Attendees will have the chance to tour the area’s expansive hop farms during peak season, when the fields are bursting with hops flowers and ready to be harvested. Then, they’ll sample the bounty of the harvest at Indian Creek Plaza with a variety of local brews and ales and live music.
