In 1882 John Mahon came out to the Cosumnes River valley to raise hops after growing them for many years on the American River near present day Cal Expo. In the Garden of the World, a biographical account of early pioneers written in 1890, he is listed as one of the largest hop growers in the county.
His next door neighbor, Sam Hoover is also listed as a hop grower with a vague reference to when he started growing them, leaving one to wonder if he learned the craft from John Mahon who was an expert in the field.
The sandy loam soils and unique microclimate along the Cosumnes River bottomland are perfect for growing the fragrant buds and will lend a unique flavor to the brew that we can truly call locally sourced.
Hops were an important agricultural component of the Mahon Ranch, along with horses, cattle, fruit and grains. In 1920, with prohibition, the hop fields were taken out of production to be replaced with beans and corn.
This year, after a 98 year absence, hops will come off the fields again, thanks to the efforts of Jeremiah Sheckler and Joseph Paredes of Triple J Brewing and the Mahon Ranch crew. We feel that this is worthy of a celebration – especially during Elk Grove History Week 2018 - for the community and the local craft breweries that will be brewing beer from the first hops. These brews will be available at the inaugural Mahon Ranch Hops and Brew Fest. Breweries participating will be Dreaming Dog Brewery, Sac Town Union Brewery, Tilted Mash Brewery, and Waterman Brewing.
Activities will include docent led tours to the new hop field on a vintage tractor and wagon, and a historical hop tool and photo exhibit. We will have local craft beers, and down home BBQ. There will be two live bands, The Bucket List and Sixth Hour, and they will be performing live music during the event. There will be fun and games for all ages, including Squirrel Party Entertainment's Game Trailer.
Please come out and help the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation, the Elk Grove Historical Society, and the city of Elk Grove celebrate the past, present, and future of the hop industry at the Mahon Ranch Hops and Brew Fest, down by the creek where it all began.
Mahon Ranch 10171 Grant Line Road Elk Grove 95624 September 28, 2018 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets: $45.00 per adult Tickets available at: www.elkgrovehistoricalsociety.com
