What is a Fresh Hop Beer?

Local craft beers are brewed according to regional trends and available ingredients.  Visit a west coast tasting room or check the shelves for a Pacific Northwest brew, and you may likely find “fresh hop” selections available for you to try.  Fresh hop beers are only available for a limited time in the fall each year, usually beginning in early October, and are a treat for beer enthusiasts.  

What is a fresh hop beer?

One of the primary ingredients in most beer is hops.  The strobile, or cone, of the Humulus lupulus plant (the hops), is what gives beer its bitterness and other flavors and aromas.  Usually, beer is made with dried hops harvested months before and stored in chilled warehouses until it’s time to brew a batch.  

Some hops growers, however, have developed partnerships with local breweries to create a unique tasting beverage.  Rather than drying the hops for shipment, the farms contact their partner breweries when the hops are mature and ready for harvest.  These breweries are prepared for the arrival of fresh ingredients and will start a batch immediately–sometimes within a few hours of harvesting.  The key to a great fresh hop beer is to minimize the time between harvest and brew, so breweries closest to the farms are the most likely candidates to produce it.

How is a fresh hop beer different?

The easiest way to understand how using fresh hops creates a different flavor is to think about cooking with herbs.  Using fresh basil, thyme, or rosemary in a dish results in a deeper flavor than dried herbs from jars.  When fresh hops are used instead of dried options, the essential oils and acids in the plant are still vivid and much more flavorful.  For example, a dried hop with a grape-fruit aroma may have a more orange or mandarin flavor when fresh.

Fresh hop beers are so desired in the Pacific Northwest that several annual festivals have been created around them.   If you’re not lucky enough to attend the Hood River Hops Fest or the Portland Fresh Hops Festival, there are several other options for you to explore this unique beverage.  Stop by The Growler Guys to try a variety of craft beers brewed in your region, or look on the store shelves for selections labeled as “fresh hops.”

Don’t wait too long, however.  Once these beers are gone, they’re gone.  You’ll have to wait until next fall to try them again!

Explore a variety of beer styles at The Growler Guys.

Explore the growing variety of beers in one taproom, https://thegrowlerguys.com/.  Each of our locations carries the best local varieties, from the palest ales to the darkest stouts, along with ciders and kombucha.  Our friendly staff is happy to walk you through the characteristics of every style to help you discover your personal favorites.  Take home the beers you love best in a growler to share with family and friends.  View our online tap list to learn about the selections currently available at a location near you!