The vast majority of hops – those wonderfully aromatic flower cones that provide aroma, bitterness and flavor to beer – are harvested, dried, and packaged in pellet or whole leaf forms for later use throughout the year. A choice few, however, get to skip the drying and packaging process and get rushed to brewers who brew “fresh hop” or “wet hop” ales resulting in a fresher and richer taste from the hops. It is something that must be done quickly. Hops begin to spoil within a day or so of being picked and need to be dried or used right away. The release date of these brews varies each year because they’re obviously tied to when the hops mature in the field. Because the characteristics of the hops also vary each year, so do the beers. You’re guaranteed a new experience, one of the great features of the fresh hop ales.
I’ve seen a couple of local fresh hop ales and I’m sure there are more. Blacksmith Brewing Co. in Stevensville, MT, has a Fresh Hop Pale Ale out now and also available on tap at the Rhino in Missoula. Great Northern Brewing Co. annually produces its Frog Hop Fresh Hopped Pale Ale which is available around Western Montana (and beyond) in 22oz. bottles.
Full Sail Brewing in Hood River, OR, again released its Lupulin Fresh Hop Ale (5.8% abv, 70 IBUs), a great beer that showcases the spicy hop flavor of crystal and cascade hops. I first had a pint last year and it is back on tap at the Rhino. It is a beautiful, clear medium gold color with a thick white head. The aroma is of earthy, woody, piney hops. A moderate hop bitterness follows an initial malt base that is stronger than expected. There’s a medium body and wonderful earthy and spice hop flavors.
Sierra Nevada’s Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale, available in bottles at better beer stores, uses wet hops and is a wonderfully balanced hop-forward beer using Cascade and Centennial hops from Washington’s Yakima Valley. Sierra Nevada annually releases their Southern Hemisphere Harvest ale and Celebration Ale which they call fresh hop ales, but both use dried hops (though ones that are used soon after they’re picked.) Many, many more local breweries in the pacific northwest brew small batches of fresh hop ales, typically available only on tap at the breweries or in a few select locations. Probably the best way to try these beers is to head to the Fresh Hop Ale Festival in Yakima, WA held annually on the first Saturday in October.
One thing is certain, with the exception of Sierra Nevada and a few others, these fresh hop ales are typically made in small quantities and are not available for long. Find them now before the long wait until next fall leaves you sad.
