Why Does Downtown Yakima Smell Like Chemicals on a Fresh Mowed Lawn?

When I was growing up, I'd smell and very particular smell when I was downtown in Yakima. It was nothing like I've ever experienced before. It wasn't until much later when I caught a whiff of it again where all the memories came back and I figured out where it was coming from.

It's the smell of the hops as they're breaking down in the downtown hop factories.

I've heard hops emit or exude hydrazine, a type of rocket fuel, but I'm not scientist to know for sure.

It's crazy how something like that can bring it all back to you. It's funny, too, because I'm a mouth breather so I usually don't smell things subconsciously. I could certainly taste it, though!