Locally Grown UTIA Hops Now on Tap
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Yee-Haw Brewing Company is proud to announce a new partnership with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) through the creation of a new fund in support of hops production research. This fund established by Yee-Haw Brewing solidifies the company’s commitment to supporting Tennessee’s agricultural community. UTIA is dedicated to creating real life solutions for the state’s agricultural producers and natural resource-based industries, making a brewery partnership a natural fit. Yee-Haw will commit funds annually, with a portion of sales from a new collaboration beer going directly to the fund.
Yee-Haw Brewing is excited to release Hopyard Pilsner, a UTIA collaboration beer. The release batch of Hopyard Pilsner features hops grown at the newly developed UT Hopyard, signaling a successful harvest from UT students and researchers. Yee-Haw Brewing is committed to using local ingredients as they become in season and available. Hopyard Pilsner is available on draft at Yee-Haw Knoxville, and a portion of the proceeds will directly support UTIA.
“It was great working with UTIA, and getting the whole team out to the hopyard was an incredible experience,” says Trevor Daniels, head brewer at Yee-Haw Knoxville. “Picking hops straight from the vine is a unique experience that you typically need to go to Michigan or Yakima Valley to have, and we were lucky enough to get to do it in our own backyard thanks to UTIA. Anytime you get to brew with fresh hops within 24 hours of them being harvested is a special thing and lends to a very unique beer.”
UTIA’s Commitment to Agricultural Innovation
Among UTIA’s land grant mission of research, teaching and outreach are ongoing efforts focused on developing sustainable agricultural practices, crop innovation and supporting the state’s agricultural and natural resources-based industries, including craft brewing. The newly constructed UT Hopyard at the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Knoxville was established to support the craft beer industry by providing local hop production data and hands-on training for hops producers through UT Extension. The successful harvests will generate essential insights for future Tennessee-grown hops production.
“Growing hops in Tennessee is challenging, but at the UT Hopyard, we are screening several different varieties, production practices and market preparation techniques that will provide producers with local, data-driven recommendations,” explained Mitchell Richmond, assistant professor and specialty crop Extension specialist in the UT Department of Plant Sciences.
By working with local craft breweries like Yee-Haw Brewing Co., Richmond and his team hope to better understand market opportunities and challenges with including Tennessee-grown hops in the brewing process.
“We’re thankful for this partnership with Yee-Haw Brewing Co. and look forward to supporting growers and brewers across the state as Tennessee hops production expands,” Richmond said. Rachel Painter, farm management specialist with UT Extension who assists specialty crop farmers, adds, “Yee-Haw Brewing Co. has been an integral partner as we work to assist Tennessee farmers in evaluating opportunities to profitably produce and market grains, fruits, and other inputs, such as hops, to the craft beverage industry.”
To make donations to support this effort, please visit giveutia.tennessee.edu and choose to support the Plant Sciences Department Fund.
About Yee-Haw Brewing Co.
Founded in 2015, Yee-Haw Brewing Co. started in a historic railroad depot built in the late 1800s in Johnson City, TN. Quickly growing from a start-up to one of the fastest developing craft breweries in the southeast, Yee-Haw Brewing Co. currently has locations in Johnson City, TN, Pigeon Forge, TN, Gatlinburg, TN, Nashville, TN (a campus shared with Ole Smoky Moonshine), Knoxville, TN, and Greenville, SC.
Yee-Haw is an award-winning brewery with several beer championship awards at the state and national level. Built on a strong foundation of core beers and rotating seasonal beers, each location has experienced brewers on-site that develop specialty craft beers reflective of their local markets.
About UTIA
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch, and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.