This episode of Drink Beer, Think Beer was recorded in Yakima, Washington where the 2026 hop harvest is just getting under way. Lots of brewers and beer fans will be making their way through this city for selection and to taste fresh hop ales, and nearly everyone will come through Single Hill Brewery for pints. Zach Turner the head brewer and general manager of Single Hill joins guest host Don Tse for a conversation.
Before co-founding Single Hill Brewing, Turner cut his teeth in technical roles at Odell Brewing Co. and Yakima Chief Hops. Today, he uses that background to brew expressive, hop-forward beers right in the heart of Washington hop country. Harvest is where Single Hill’s farm connections come alive, he says. Zach and his team drive directly to nearby fields to collect freshly picked hops, rushing wet cones straight to their mash tun-turned-hopback and even pelletizing kilned whole cones themselves to capture the freshest flavors possible.
This collaborative, community-focused approach has brought Single Hill some grateful recognition—including being named Washington Brewery of the Year, alongside medals at GABF, the World Beer Cup, and the Fresh Hop Ale Fest.
Hear the whole conversation on the Drink Beer, Think Beer podcast.
Or download via Overcast, Stitcher, Podcast Addict, or wherever you download shows.
This episode is sponsored by:
You don’t have to travel to Yakima to make hop selection part of your harvest. With RemoteSelection from John I. Haas, your brewing team can evaluate hop samples right at the brewery and select the sensory profiles that best fit your beers. And through Next Gen Selection, minimum commitments start at just 220 pounds per variety, making meaningful hop selection accessible to more breweries. This harvest, make your hops your choice. Contact your Haas Sales Representative or visit JohnIHaas.com/Harvest for more information.
This episode is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, innovators in craft beer since 1980 and still 100% family owned. Experience the finest quality and purest ingredients in person by visiting the iconic Sierra Nevada breweries in Chico, California – where it all started – or Mills River, North Carolina, the country’s only Platinum LEED certified production brewery. Visit Sierra Nevada dot com to learn more. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Still Family-Owned, Operated & Argued Over.
Don Tse
Living near seven malthouses, Don Tse is a freelance beer and malt writer and consultant known globally as The Don of Beer. He has been active in craft beer for over 25 years and has famously sampled and written tasting notes on almost 27,000 different beers. He is the co-host of the All About Beer podcast. Don has also written for magazines and presented on beer in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ukraine and Singapore. Nobody in those countries thinks his jokes are funny.
John Holl is the editor of All About Beer Magazine.
JohnHoll@allaboutbeer.com
