Crafting fresh-off-the-farm brews from the middle of a hop field, Bale Breaker Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery located in the Yakima Valley. Backed by four generations of hop farming experience, Bale Breaker started in 2013, and has grown to become the fourth largest independent craft brewery in Washington.
Hops are in the family’s DNA: the great-grandparents of sibling-owners Meghann Quinn, Kevin “Smitty” Smith, and Patrick Smith first planted hops in the Yakima Valley in 1932, the year before Prohibition ended. Now, Meghann, Smitty, and Meghann’s husband Kevin Quinn are crafting brews that celebrate the world-class hops grown in their backyard, while Patrick and their dad run the family’s two hop farms, Loftus Ranches in Moxee and Tributary Farms in Granger.
With a 30-barrel brewhouse at a 27,000 square foot facility, Bale Breaker crafts seven year-round canned beers, including the widely celebrated Topcutter IPA, and a diverse offering of seasonal beers in cans and on draft. They have two taprooms: one onsite at the Yakima brewery; and another in Seattle’s Ballard Brewing District. Bale Breaker beer can be found in retailers and bottleshops throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.