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Heat Holders

I have improved (not by much) my heat tolerance but the “hopp sauces” from Alchemy Peppers are probably out of my reach since they range from 3,000 to 45,000 SHU.

But for those that like the combo of hops and peppers, here are your options…

  • Fresno Peppers + Simcoe Hops – The original hot sauce magically mixes Fresno and red bell peppers, strawberry puree, earthy Simcoe hops, and a touch of garlic.
  • Jalapeno Peppers + Citra Hops – Born from a bewitching blend of zesty Jalapeño peppers, juicy Citra hops, and a dash of lime, this is the brand’s most temperate hot sauce.
  • Scotch Bonnet + Mosaic Hops – The hottest of the lineup, this sauce is hatched from a heavenly harmony of yellow bell peppers, fiery Scotch Bonnet peppers, fruity Mosaic hops, and a slice of pineapple.
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Hoptrippin’

Mitch Steele wrote the book on IPA and brewed it at both Stone and now New Realm and now he is back to blogging…

Hoptripper contains (under the New Realm website) his new writing and his archive too. I will be checking back on it to see what Steele is thinking about these days.

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Bittered Sling

Each alcoholic beverage has its own rabbit holes that you can plunge into. What if you combined two of them together?

The world of cocktail bitters and the aromas of hops maybe…

That is what the Canadian company the Bittered Sling has done with one of their aromatic bitters…

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Hop Class

For the 2nd year in a row,  Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) is taking their Hop & Brew School virtual. It is a five-day event taking place in cyberspace from August 30th through September 3rd.

I listened in on many presentations last year and learned quite a bit but lets have the press release convince you…

“For nearly two decades, YCH has hosted this comprehensive hop harvest experience for the brewing community complete with a behind-the-scenes look at the hop industry as well as educational seminars. Now in its 18th year, Hop & Brew School® is considered to be a highly regarded event among craft brewers and one of the most in-depth hop education programs in the industry.

Due to COVID-19, YCH will be holding this event in a virtual format for a second year, as safety remains their first priority. This year’s schedule features sessions surrounding new discoveries in advanced hop research, hop application best practices, hop sensory training, a deep dive into the beyond beer beverage category and homebrew tips. Participants will also receive an inside look at organic hop growing and experimental hop development. Speakers include both hop industry experts and veteran brewers.”

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Hop Lark

I have an alternative to hard seltzers for you. How about a sparkling (N/A) water with hops. You can get the above variety pack and get those in demand Citra and Mosaic as well as new starlet Sabro and an un-named hop too. Check it out HERE.

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Exploding Pun

Lagunitas is always good for a fresh hop beer and for this 2021 One Hitter release, they are harvesting four popular hops for freshness sake. The brewery may not be at the heights they were pre-Heineken but considering how good Waldos was this year, this beer should be quite nice.

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Chasing Fresh Bitburger

First Bitburger collaborated with Sierra Nevada and now another heritage brewery meets up with them for so freshies…

Here are the beer details…

“Chasin’ Freshies Fresh Hop IPA A fresh hop collaboration with Bitburger, September release (based on timing of hop harvest) in 12-ounce cans. Deschutes’ #1 fresh hop beer goes international with this Bitbuger collab! A celebration of 2 iconic, independent, family owned breweries exchanging brewing expertise and comradery. This collaboration incorporates the Bitburger influenced German hop “Callista” with Triumph and Cashmere American hops selected during the 2020 hop harvest.”

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Come on Down, You are the Next Contestant on the Hop is Right!

First, I want you to hop (sorry) over to the Beervana Blog and read this POST and don’t give me any TL:DR guff.

OK, now that you are back, there are two golden nuggets in that piece. First is that a hop can have rum and caramel and banana notes. That is mind blowing. And second, is that a brewery can sponsor an up and possibly coming hop in exchange for dibs on the crop.

And the big takeaway that I want most beer fans to keep in mind is how veeerrrryyy long it takes for a seedling to be an actual crop. Hats off to the potent combo of science and farming that can do it that quickly while satisfying IPA fiends.

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Names to Look For

Quick hop post for y’all.

Remember these two hop names because I bet you will be seeing them in beers next year and more I need 2022.

First up is Australia- Eclipse. Then to New Zealand for – Nectaron.

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Beer Book Review – Hops by Kenneth Helphand

History. Beer has plenty of it if you look behind the curtain of hops. Kenneth Helphand has compiled some really cool photographs including some Dorothea Lange ones in his book about the hop world way, way back in the day.

This is a specific book. You are not going to get what varietals were made or even much talk about the end product. This is first and foremost a curated set of photos of the people in the hop fields. You also get recollections from people who went picking and from newspaper mentions as well. It does lead to a certain sameness. A group of people in front of a row of hops or surrounding a barrel filled with the days pick. But then you look a little closer and you see Chinese faces, Native American faces, recent immigrant faces.

You see, the everyday racist slights in the advertisements for workers. Or a YWCA camp set- up as a safe haven for women working the fields. You also get a glimpse into camp life with dances, movies, company store and living in tents until the harvest is complete.

It also leads me to want a similar book but of the current hop season. Let’s see the faces who grow and pick and bale our hops now.

Also, love to see my last name in a book…even if he is just standing around