Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Earlier this month, I made the drive to Fillmore, CA and the Sow A Heart Regenerative Farm to help harvest hops. Cascade hops to be precise and it was great fun to not only feel the cones in your hand fresh off the bine but to see harvesting done pretty much by hand because even the one machine used was nothing compared to the big growers of the NW.
More will be revealed in the September Beer Paper issue coming out soon but until then a few photos to whet the appetite…
The Gold medal went to Energy Cone from Single Hill Brewing in Yakima.
Here are my choices to guide you when you visit…
Adams Pilsner– “Naturally brewed from the finest Northwest malts and Yakima Valley hops, Adams is a refreshing, every-day drinker. A pilsner that is true to the craft and easy on the palate, this crispy mountain beer has been deemed: “The bubbly of gold ribbon feast beers.”
Future Echoes Bold IPA – “Future Echoes is back, and this time it’s showcasing Simcoe, Bravo, and experimental hop 17701 from Hopsteiner. This Bold IPA leans into the bitterness of a traditional west-coast IPA, while bringing the noise with modern hop flavors of peach, pear, & bitter orange peel.”
Raz Rocketship – “Carrying a massive payload of raspberries on board a German-style sour wheat base, Raz Rocket is jammy, tart and refreshing. Try it yourself and see why we think it’s out of this world!”
Osa Major Imperial Stout – “Featuring deeper black color and darker chocolate and fuller roast flavors than in its little sibling, Osa Major is a roaring, intense Imperial Stout.”
Silver was awarded to Fresh Hop Green Battles from Pinthouse Pizza North, no strangers to GABF medals.
Let’s pick a few other beers to sample from this four location brewery….
Magical Pils – “fruity and spicy hop profile, Pilsner malt, and a soft mouthfeel”
Bearded Seal Dry Irish Stout – “Our flagship Dry Irish Stout is a little bolder than the commercial example most people are familiar with, and is filled with aromas and flavors of roasted coffee and dark chocolate balanced with a nice dry finish.”
American Slang Dry Hopped Saison – “Spring Peach, Pomelo, White Pepper & Rustic Ingredients. Dry hopped with Amarillo and Citra”
Electric Union India Pale Kolsch – “Stone Fruit, Peach Rings, Grapefruit Zest. Hopped with Simcoe, Azacca, Mosaic, Chinook and Cashmere.”
Bronze went to Seems So Long Since We Walked in the Moonlight from Burke-Gilman Brewing Co. in Seattle.
Here are some options for when you find yourself in their taproom…
Eminence Grisette – not often do you see this style
My Own West Enemy IPA – “West coast IPA with Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo, cryo Chinook”
Baboom Belgian Dark Strong – whiskey barrel aged.
Černý kov Czech Dark Lager – have to have a lager or pilsner
Here is a look at the 2021 Fresh hop beer from Lagunitas…
This year Contents Under Fresher features “whole-cone Mosaic, Citra, Simcoe & Sabro hops harvested and rushed from our family of farmer friends in Yakima.”
Goes without saying, find and drink quickly.
Fresh Hop Beer Tastival Overview
It’s your once-a-year chance to taste what Oregon’s finest brewmasters can do with just-picked hops. Sample some of the more than 30 fresh hop beers from Oregon’s top craft brewers, large and small.
October 10 – Oaks Park, Portland
October 17 – 948 Olive Parking Lot, Eugene
Admission is free;
glasses are $5, and individual tastes are $1 each.
Noon to 9pm.
Here is the tentative list for Portland:
4th Street Brewing Co. Fresh Hop Pale
Alameda Brewhouse Failing St Fresh Hop
Astoria Brewing Co Hoptimus Prime 2.0
Barley Browns Brewpub Roadside
Beer Valley Brewing Co. Leafer Madness
Beer Valley Brewing Co. Black Flag
BridgePort Brewing Co Hop Harvest
Caldera Brewing Cascades Alpha Beta
Cascade Brewing Cascadian Fresh Hop
Cascade Lakes Brewing Co Harvest Ale
Deschutes Brewery Hop Trip
Deschutes Brewery-Portland Pub King Cone
Deschutes Brewery-Portland Pub Fresh Hop Mirror Pond
Double Mountain Brewery Killer Green
Double Mountain Brewery Fresh Vienna
Fort George Brewery Cohoperative
Full Sail Brewing Co Lupulin
Golden Valley Brewery Mt. Hood Fresh Hop
Hopworks Urban Brewery Crystal Method
Hopworks Urban Brewery Oktoberfest Fest of Fury
Laurelwood Brewing Co Organic Goodness
Laurelwood Brewing Co Hop Bale Pale
Lompoc Brewing Harvest Man Red
Lompoc Brewing Crystal Wheat
Lompoc Brewing Crystal Missile
Lompoc Brewing Millenium Imperial IPA
Lucky Labrador Brewing Mutt Ale
Lucky Labrador Brewing Mutt Lager
MacTarnahan’s Brewing Fresh Hops Amber
McMenamins on Monroe Hop Bud-E
Ninkasi Brewing Co. Nugg. E Fresh
Oakshire Brewing Fresh Hop Ale Harvest Ale
Oakshire Brewing Red Nugget
Pelican Pub & Brewery Elemental Ale
Rock Bottom Brewery Intergrity Hoodwinked
Rogue Ales Revolution Wet Hop Ale
Three Creeks Santiam Hop Harvest
Upright Brewing Fresh Hop of Bel Air
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co Hopturnal
They just can’t stop. Here is the news from the fine folks at the brewery…
We love fall for so many reasons, but mostly because it’s time for Fresh Hop Beers! Come kick off the season next Wed., Sept. 30 from 4 to 9 p.m. at New Old Lompoc, 1616 NW 23rd Ave. in Portland. Brewers Jerry, Bryan, Zack and Sam will gather together to introduce four new fresh hop beers.
From the New Old Lompoc Brewery, we have Crystal Missile, a light and highly drinkable fresh hop beer utilizing Belgian saison yeast and 50 pounds of Willamette Valley Crystal hops in the patented Lompoc hop press (4.5% ABV); and Millennium Fresh Hop, a monstrous fresh hop Imperial IPA with more than half a pound of hops per gallon. Brewed with 10 different hop additions using a total of 100 pounds of Millennium hops straight from the Weathers Family Farm (7.5% ABV).
From the Fifth Quadrant Brewery, try Crystal Wheat, brewed with 100 pounds of Crystal fresh hops for a crisp and refreshing beer with a golden color. The wheat adds a soft, creamy texture with a nutty flavor (4.3% ABV); and Harvest Man Red, a beer brewed with 100 pounds of Crystal fresh hops, producing a malty and full bodied flavor with a deep, rich red color (6.2% ABV).