There are some seasonal craft beer releases that feel like holidays. Pumpkin ale ushers in fall. Festbier can only mean Oktoberfest is here. And then there’s wet hop beer. One of the most eagerly anticipated beer styles of the year, wet hop beer celebrates hop harvest season in all its glory. This fleeting style is bursting with fresh aromas and a unique flavor profile that’s only available for a few months of the year. Read on to learn what it is and why it’s well worth a try when you can find it.
What Makes Wet Hop Beer Different?
Most beer is brewed with hops that have been dried and processed into pellets or whole cones. This lets them be stored for months without losing too much of their flavor and aroma. Wet hop beer, however, skips this step. Instead, it’s brewed with freshly picked hops straight from the brine – usually within 24 hours of harvest.
Because fresh hops contain more moisture and delicate volatile oils, they bring unique characteristics to the beer – a brighter aroma, greener flavors, and a subtle earthiness you won’t get from dried hops.
What’s The Harvest Connection?
Because wet hop beers are brewed with fresh hops, they’re only possible during the hop harvest season. In the U.S., that typically happens in late August through early September. Most American hops grow in the Pacific Northwest – specifically Washington’s Yakima Valley, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and parts of Idaho – so many of these seasonal brews come from breweries with easy access to these farms.
In fact, some breweries coordinate with hop farms months in advance, sending brewers to the fields to pick hops themselves. The fresh hops are then rushed back to the brewery to add to the brew before the freshness begins to degrade.
What’s The Flavor Profile?
If you’ve ever smelled a freshly crushed hop cone, you know the intoxicating mix of green, floral, and citrusy aromas. Wet hop beers bring that sensory experience straight into your glass. You’ll notice bright, grassy, herbal notes reminiscent of fresh-cut hay. You can also expect vivid floral aromas, juicy citrus and pine flavors that almost feel alive, and a softer, more rounded bitterness than standard hop pellets. Compared to a traditional IPA, wet hop beers are more nuanced and less aggressive.
What Are The Challenges of Brewing Wet Hop Beer?
Working with wet hops isn’t easy. Because they contain so much water, brewers have to use four to six times more wet hops to reach the same bitterness level as dried hops. Fresh hops also require more storage space, can introduce variability from batch to batch, and must be brewed almost immediately after harvest so they don’t lose their magic.
Despite the logistical challenges, many brewers see the brewing process as a labor of love. The resulting beer is a one-of-a-kind product that can’t be replicated any other time of the year. It’s as close to drinking from the field as you can get, and that authenticity is what makes wet hop beers so special.
Is Wet Hop Beer Really Best Fresh?
Just like the hops themselves, wet hop beers are meant to be enjoyed fresh. Technically, they can be stored, but the bright, fresh flavors fade much faster than in traditional hop-forward styles. This is a “drink it now” beer, meant to be enjoyed within weeks – or even days – of release.
Celebrate the Season at The Growler Guys
If you’ve never tried a wet hop beer, make this the year that changes. Once you taste one of the freshest, most farm-to-glass hop experiences you can have, you’ll find yourself counting down the days until next year’s harvest.
Keep an eye out for wet hop beer and other limited releases at your local Growler Guys. Our extensive rotating tap list features the best local and global brews, so you’ll always find new year-round and seasonal favorites to try. Stop in today for a pint, flight, or growler fill.
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