drink
BRINGING THE CASCADE CUP TO MONTROSE
BILLY GOAT HOP FARM Words by Gus Jarvis COURTESY OF BILLY GOAT HOP FARM
W
estern Colorado now finds itself on the
“We didn’t even know the award existed,
map for growing and producing award-
and we were like, ‘We should send one in next
winning hops thanks to Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose and its unprecedented 2023 first-place finish in the Cascade Cup. The award, which took Billy Goat Hop
The two were unable to attend the 2023 convention when it was announced that they had won.
Farm co-owners Audrey Gehlhausen and Chris
“Chris’s phone started blowing up,” she says.
DellaBianca by surprise last February, was the
“He got a call from the founder of Russian River
first time it was given to a grower outside the
Brewing calling to let him know we won. Then,
hop-centric Pacific Northwest region.
the founder of Ninkasi emailed congratulating
“We are on cloud nine,” Gehlhausen says.
us. Then, the email train followed letting us
Winning the Cascade Cup is the ultimate
know the award was being shipped out to us. It
bragging right for producing the best Cascade
20
year,’” Gehlhausen recalls.
was crazy.”
hops in the country. Every year, a panel
What made the Billy Goat Hop Farm
composed of brewing professionals within the
Cascade hops stand out in the competition? “It
Hop Quality Group completes a blind analysis
was mostly aroma,” she believes. “They had a
of Cascade hop entries from around the country.
nice appearance, and the lab results were good.
Winners are based on a host of factors, including
From my understanding, though, they smelled
aroma, appearance and hop analysis.
amazing. From the beginning, from our first
Their entry in the 2023 competition was their
year, brewers have been telling us that our
first since they built the farm in 2017. In fact,
Cascade reminded them of how Cascade used to
Gehlhausen and DellaBianca didn’t know about
be — brighter, more grapefruit, less lemongrass.”
the competition until they attended the Hop
Because the farm is small scale, measuring at
Convention in 2022. They were present when that
32 acres, Gehlhausen believes they can be more
year’s winner of the Cascade Cup was announced.
hands-on and attentive to the needs of the hops
