When Yakima Chief Hops plans its annual Veterans Blend—its varieties evaluated and voted on by brewers who are also military veterans—there is a certain parameter in mind. Those varieties need to be harvested and processed early, so that the hops can ship out in time to go into special beers to be released around Veterans Day, November 11.
There are many such beers, but there is probably only one brewed by an active-duty airman who also is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan.
Master Sergeant Shane Ison is an intelligence analyst at the Michigan Air National Guard in Alpena—that’s the “day job.” He’s also the brewer at Alcona Brew Haus in Harrisville, about 40 miles south of the base.