In 1920, Michael Loftus, an Irish immigrant and grandfather of BT Loftus, followed the railroad west, settled in Yakima, and bought the family homestead. Twelve years later, Leota Mae, wife of BT Loftus and great-grandmother to Bale Breaker Brewing owners, plants the first hop field, igniting the family’s legacy for four generations and counting. Mike Smith, father to Bale Breaker owners Patrick, Meghann, and Kevin Smith, joins grandmother Leota Mae to run the farm after BT’s sudden passing, marking the third generation of hop farmers. Kevin Quinn marries Meghann Smith after meeting at the University of Washington Business School. This is where Grit & Grain Episode 69 began. The Grit & Grain sat down with Kevin Quinn to hear how he and the fourth generation built Bale Breaker smack-dab in the middle of their hop Field 41, and how their B.T. Loftus Ranches supplies the brewery and the rest of the nation with hops. Stream the episode (with earphones) while enjoying our Bale Breaker beer flight called Peaks & Pints Bale Breaker Brewing Flight.
Peaks & Pints Bale Breaker Brewing Flight
Bale Breaker La Mas Buena Mexican Lager
5% ABV
La Mas Buena Mexican Lager is a nod to tradition, crafted with flaked corn and Pilsner malt. After years of Bale Breaker’s Spanish-speaking customers asking for “la mas buena” (translation: “the best one”), the Yakima Valley brewery decided to set a new standard for excellence with an authentic Mexican lager that is crisp, smooth, and refreshing.
Bale Breaker I Love My State Parks IPA
6.2% ABV
Made in collaboration with WA State Parks Foundation, Yakima Chief Hops, and Cold Stream Malt, this West Coast IPA was made to be enjoyed as you appreciate your favorite State Park, while giving back with a portion of the proceeds to Washington State Parks Foundation. Brewed with Cold Stream Buzz Pilsner, 2-row, and flaked rice, plus Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic, and Chinook, this light-bodied IPA has a crisp, dry finish and aromas of grapefruit, pineapple, and melon.
Bale Breaker Skyward IPA
6.5% ABV
Bale Breaker Skyward IPA is a clean, easy-drinking IPA. Similarly to how Daybreak Pale Ale joined the year-round lineup while keeping the classic Field 41 Pale Ale around, Skyward IPA joined its flagship IPA, Topcutter, as a second IPA option for the brewery’s year-round lineup. The West Coast IPA is named for the direction Bale Breaker’s hops stretch as they grow at Loftus Ranches, Bale Breaker’s fourth-generation family hop farm. This new IPA features Simcoe, Mosaic, Citra, and CTZ hops, providing notes of grapefruit, pineapple, and classic West Coast dankness.
Bale Breaker Movie Night Mayhem IPA
6.6% ABV
Brewed for the 2025 Seattle Beer Week with the Watershed Pub and The Beer Authority in Bale Breaker’s Ballard brewhouse, this hop-fueled IPA bursts with citrus, tropical fruit, pine, and berry aromas, thanks to stars Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic, Mosaic Dynaboost, Nectaron, and KRUSH hops.
Bale Breaker Dormancy
6.8% ABV
Substitute your cup of Joe for this breakfast stout. This beer packs a breakfast punch with its intense roasted coffee flavor and rich chocolate notes. Bale Breaker achieved the freshly brewed espresso taste by conditioning this oatmeal stout on locally roasted coffee beans from Yakima’s Lincoln Avenue Coffee Co. If you love coffee, you will love this beer. It’s filling and complex but will leave you wanting more.
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
