That time of year when the hops are so fresh, so bright, so resinous even, that brewers can’t help but put them into their beers as fast as humanly possible after the harvest.
Celebrate the fresh hops season with a bounty of festivals celebrating wet hops. Here’s a non-exhaustive list.
Sacramento Fresh Hops Brew Fest
Sacremento, California
Friday, September 26, 5 p.m.–9 p.m.
This year’s Farm-to-Fork week in Sacramento will include a fresh hops festival that promises fresh hops ales from more than twenty-five breweries, including 21st Amendment, Drake’s Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing, and Speakeasy Ales & Lagers. The event will take place at the California Auto Museum.
Falling Rock Fresh Hop Fest
Denver, Colorado
Saturday, September 27, noon–4 p.m.
Falling Rock Tap House teamed up with the Colorado Brewers Guild for its annual fresh hops festival, which will feature beers from across the country, including Odell Brewing, Ska Brewing, Avery Brewing, Elevation Beer Company, and Great Divide Brewing.
Sisters Fresh Hop Fest
Sisters, Oregon
Saturday, September 27, noon–8 p.m.
Embrace the local harvest with more than fifteen Oregon breweries serving their fresh hops beers, including BridgePort Brewing’s 2014 Hop Harvest Ale, Crux Fermentation Project’s Crystal Zwickle, Deschutes Brewery’s Fresh Hop Horse Ridge IPA, and McMenamin’s Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale. Enjoy the scenery in this iconic town, too.
Hood River Hops Fest
Hood River, Oregon
Saturday, September 27, noon–9 p.m.
There’s a kite-surfer’s and beer-drinker’s paradise to be found in Hood River, Oregon, especially when the Hood River Hops Fest (pictured at top) is happening. This 11th annual festival offers one of the largest fresh hops beer selections in the nation (more than sixty-five regional brews, including beers from Elysian Brewing Company, Sasquatch Brewing, The Commons Brewery, and Walking Man Brewing). There will also be local food and craft vendors and live music throughout the day.
Hops Harvest Festival 2014
Athens, Georgia
Saturday, October 11, 4:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Celebrate the annual release of Terrapin Beer Co.’s So Fresh & So Green, Green, a fresh hops ale brewed with 2-Row Pale, Maris Otter, Best Munich, and rotating hops. This year’s festival will have eight firkins hopped with eight different hops varieties and an artisan market with locally made crafts for sale.