Mashing-In News: Squatches Win Big, Fresh Hop Fest Bigger
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Thursday, August 14, 2025 — Steve Martin turns 80 today!
Today’s craft beer world is a delicious, hoppy pinball machine — and we’re bouncing between global victories, bold business moves, and enough fresh hop foam to crown a Yakima sunset.
No-Li’s Squatch IPAs Win Big on the Global Stage
No-Li Brewhouse’s Squatch Series Imperial IPAs swept the 2025 World Beer Awards with Gold, Silver, and Bronze wins, showcasing the Spokane brewery’s bold-yet-balanced high-ABV craftsmanship on the global stage. (Washington Beer Blog)
Columbia Distributing Exits Idaho Venture, Hayden Beverage Takes Over
Columbia Distributing has sold its stake in Scout Distribution’s Idaho joint venture to Boise-based Hayden Beverage Company, ending a 2022 partnership aimed at building a strong craft beverage presence in the state. The sale allows Scout to focus on its Harland Brewing operations while giving Hayden—Idaho’s largest total beverage distributor—an expanded portfolio and sales force to serve brands like AleSmith, Dru Bru, and Mad Swede. (Boise Dev)
Yakima’s Fresh Hop Ale Festival Returns Bigger, Hoppier at New Venue
The 22nd Annual Yakima Fresh Hop Ale Festival returns on October 4, 2025, debuting a new venue at State Fair Park with 60+ breweries, wineries, and cideries pouring fresh hop creations, live music, local food, and a nonprofit mission that funds Yakima County arts and science programs. (Visit Yakima)
Westwood Farms Debuts With Hops, Vision, and Community
Westwood Farms in Gervais, Oregon, celebrated its branch launch by welcoming industry guests to tour its hop fields, learn about its next-generation family-led regenerative farming mission, and sample beers brewed with its hops, marking the start of its broader agricultural vision. (The Brew Site)
Firestone Walker’s Oaktoberfest Returns With Oak-Barrel Twist
Firestone Walker’s 2025 Oaktoberfest Oak Aged Lager, a 5.2% ABV festbier brewed with Tettnanger and Hersbrucker hops, cold-lagered in French oak barrels, and crafted to bridge summer and fall with malty depth, crisp drinkability, and subtle oak and wine notes, is rolling out this week to all markets. (American Craft Beer)
Sierra Nevada Shrinks the Pour to Save the Pint
Amid declining U.S. alcohol consumption and rising craft brewery closures, Sierra Nevada’s new 4.7% ABV Pilsner in 8.4-ounce cans offers a small-serve, European-inspired approach aimed at reviving beer’s appeal through moderation. (Gear Patrol)
Catching Up with Brian Strumke: Brewing, Collaborations, and What’s Next
In Episode 537 of Steal This Beer, co-hosts Augie Carton and John Holl welcomed back brewer Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisanal—now a familiar guest—to catch up on his latest brewing ventures and ongoing projects since his last appearance. (Steal This Beer)
Utah’s Craft Beer Growth Bucks U.S. Trends
Utah’s craft beer scene is bucking national decline, with the Utah Brewers Guild fostering collaboration, advocacy, and growth—now at 37 breweries despite the loss of Squatters/Wasatch—while new ventures like WolfDog Brewing in Sandy, Rabbit’s Foot Brewing in West Valley City, and innovative players like Kiitos and Home Range Brewing in Logan expand local beer culture with community-driven, style-diverse offerings. (City Weekly)
Heady Times in the Green Mountains: Vermont’s Best IPAs, Ranked
Vermont, birthplace of the New England IPA and leader in U.S. breweries per capita, remains a hazy-hop powerhouse—home to icons like The Alchemist’s Heady Topper and Focal Banger—prompting a tasting showdown to crown the best IPAs the Green Mountain State has to offer. (Vine Pair)
From Beer to Metal: Stone Brewing Founder Joins Forces With Rock Guitarist for Intergalactic Band
Guitarist Keri Kelli and Stone Brewing co-founder Greg Koch have teamed up on Metal Warrior, an animated intergalactic metal band whose expansive debut project, The Crushed Souls of Our Enemies, blends a double album with graphic novels, elaborate backstories, and immersive visuals born from what began as short character music clips. (Loudwire)
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
