Winning Beer for Salmon-Safe’s Drinker’s Choice Competition Brewed by Kings and Daughter’s Brewery with Coleman Hops
Salmon-Safe partnered with the inaugural Hood River Orchard and Ale Fest on October 4th to promote sustainably grown hops and the beers brewed with them through a Drinker’s Choice Fresh Hop Beer Competition. More than a quarter of the thousands of festivalgoers voted for their favorite among the 17 fresh hop beers brewed with at least 90% Salmon-Safe Certified hops at the event. Today it was announced that the crowd favorite beer was “Fill Your Cup IPA” by Kings and Daughters Brewery, featuring Simcoe fresh hops from Coleman Agriculture in Oregon. Coleman Agriculture in the Willamette Valley is a longstanding Salmon-Safe certified farm, meaning its hops are grown using practices that protect water quality. These include reducing pesticide use through integrated pest management, conserving habitat and biodiversity, preventing erosion, and using water efficiently.
“We take pride in caring for and growing our hops with the health of our local waterways top of mind,” said 7thgeneration hop farmer Max Coleman of Coleman Agriculture.
The results of Salmon-Safe’s 2025 Drinker’s Choice Fresh Hop Beer Competition were:
Overall Grand Winner: Fill Your Cup IPA by Kings and Daughters Brewery in Hood River, Oregon featuring fresh Simcoe hops from Coleman Agriculture.
Gold: Cherry Season Saison by Evasion Brewing in McMinnville, Oregon featuring fresh Indie Hops Lórien, grown by Coleman Agriculture.
Silver: Fresh-Bomb from Stickmen Brewery in Happy Valley, Oregon featuring fresh Centennial from Goschie Farms and dry-hopped with fresh Strata and Luminosa from Indie Hops.
Bronze: Fresh Hop Happy Place by Breakside Brewery in Portland, Oregon featuring fresh Indie Hops Talus from Westwood Farm.
Hood River Orchard and Ale Festival organizer Lee Perry is a passionate fisherman, and was excited to have the Salmon-Safe cause participate in the Festival, “It’s great that the festival could help more beer fans learn about Salmon-Safe Certified hops,” said Perry.
Kings and Daughters Brewery opened in just 2021. They have been getting attention for their delicate and balanced approach to craft beer, and co-owners Kyle Larsen and Kacie McMackin recently opened a tasting room in Hood River. Now they can add the Salmon-Safe Fresh Hop Drinker’s Choice Competition to their list of early accolades. In addition to bragging rights, Kyle and Kacie won a year’s worth of wild salmon from the world’s largest salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
“Living in the Gorge for twenty years, the river has been part of our daily life in a variety of ways. It’s rewarding to reflect that connection in our beer by brewing with Salmon-Safe hops,” said Kyle.
