The Yakima Valley, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla Valley have been popular wine destinations for decades.

But for those who may whisper, “I don’t really care for wine. Where are the breweries?,” there’s now a comprehensive guide available to promote the exploration of the region’s growing craft beer scene.

A group of beer aficionados recently launched a program to encourage their discovery – the Tri-Cities Tap Trail.

“One thing I learned is that so many people just don’t know about the region’s beer,” said Rob Whitney, president of Tap Trail group. “(Our group) wants to make sure people know our locations. We want to keep small breweries in business. And we’re getting a lot of support.”

The trail features nine Tri-Cities area breweries, 10 taprooms and one cider house.

Beginnings of the beer trail

It took Whitney, BJ Johnson, vice president for the Tap Trail group, and five board members a year from idea to the start of the trail.

Whitney moved to the Tri-Cities from Western Washington seven years ago and worked at Barnes & Noble before getting a job at Moonshot Brewing as operations manager. He was an avid tap trail follower in Bellingham, Seattle, Bend and Spokane.

“It was just fun,” said Whitney, who witnessed how the beer scene exploded in Bellingham. “When I came here, one of my first thoughts was, ‘Why wasn’t there a beer trail in the Tri-Cities?’”

He started to talk to people. The problem was no one wanted to organize it.

So he and Johnson, a Realtor, got the project in motion with the help of Visit Tri-Cities and the city of Richland.

Tri-Cities Tap Trail volunteers formed a 501(c)(6), a nonprofit to promote economic development and tourism through the promotion of the area’s breweries, cideries and tap houses.

Others on the nonprofit’s board include Rosemary Fotherington, Kristen Heinemeyer, Justine Koehle, Bonnie Walter and Michele York. 

The group’s goal is to help grow local businesses whose main focus is the craft beer and cider industry, and in turn, increase tourism in the Tri-Cities region.

“We’re just trying to help them get the word out,” said York, business development manager for Visit Tri-Cities. “This region is really focused on wine but we get so many people who come in here and ask about beer. This (map) is a great asset to have.”

The group contacted all the owners of the local breweries as well as the taprooms.

Some couldn’t get out their checkbooks fast enough, Whitney said.

“Everybody was ready to sign up,” he said. “The hardest thing was getting ahold of people.” 

Beer and cider-drinking trail blazers can go to any participating brewery, cider house or taproom to pick up a map — as long as they’re 21 and over.

The nonprofit received a grant to print the maps and buy prizes. A first run of 7,000 maps were printed and released July 1.

Here’s how the tap trail works:

• Visit any tap trail location and buy a pint, food or non-alcoholic option and earn a sticker for your map.
• Repeat to complete your map.
• Take a picture of the completed map and email it in to be entered into a drawing for a prize by Dec. 31.

Which businesses are taking part?

Breweries

• Richland: Atomic Ale Brewpub & Eatery; Bombing Range Brewing Company; Iconic Brewing; Rattlesnake Mountain Brewing Company.
• Kennewick: Ice Harbor Brewing Company; Moonshot Brewing; Wheat Head Brewing Co.
• Pasco: Paper Street Brewing Company; Sage Brewing Company.

In addition, there is a bonus spot on the map for Shellback Brewing, which does not have a location, but sells its beer at certain taprooms. Participants who find it can earn a bonus sticker for their map.

Taprooms

• Kennewick: Copper Top Taphouse; Ice Harbor Brewing at the Marina.
• Pasco: Dog Haus Biergarten; The Medusa; Tri-City Taps; The Underground Taphouse.
• Richland: Moonshot Pub at the Park; Tap & Barrel.
• West Richland: Lazy River Taphouse.

Cideries

D’s Wicked Cider House in Kennewick represents the lone cider house, with TC Cider House in Richland the sole cider taphouse.

Reverence for beer

Whitney and Johnson are excited about the Tap Trail. 

“It’s a slow build,” Johnson said. “We’re not running major ads anywhere. It’s all self-driven. But it’s all about exposure. That’s the prize.”

And when Whitney and Johnson talk about beer, there is a reverence in their voices. They both make their own.

“Besides the flavor and the culture of beer, it’s the taste of the earth,” Johnson said. “Beer comes solely from the ground. Beer is just super cool. It’s all ancient science and flavor and ingredients and process, and it can take so many forms. And you can easily share it with friends, and (offer) all your knowledge to them, and they have to listen because you gave them beer.”

For Whitney, beer also is about history.

“It’s been around for 1,000 years. I nerd out on it,” he said. “I do enjoy beer. I drink to enjoy with my friends, just sitting around and geeking out over beer.”

Geeking out?

“It’s the excitement for beer, its brewing processes, science, history and culture,” Whitney continued. “Sharing all of that with people over a couple beers makes life that much better.”

If things go the right way, sales for all Tri-Cities beer and cider could go up over the next six months.

“I’m already happy with this,” Whitney said. “I love seeing people excited about it.”

Johnson believes the nonprofit’s efforts will help to spur the economy.

“It’s about focusing on the local beer and culture,” he said. “We feel we’re like ambassadors to the industry.”

Go to: tricitiestaptrail.com.