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Among the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved craft beer events are the fresh hop festivals that take place at this time of year. And the Vancouver Brewfest – Fresh Hop Edition, which will be making its South West Washington debut soon, promises to be a perfect example of why these fall festivals are so much fun.
So What Is a Fresh Hop Beer Again and Why A Festival Dedicated to Them?
“Fresh hop” or “wet-hop” beers are brewed with hops picked fresh from the bine, instead of having been dried, and in most cases pelletized, a process that extends the hop’s viability for almost three years.
Many brewers define a fresh hop beer as one made using newly picked hops that are less than 24 hours off the bine. And given that 75 percent of the nation’s hops are grown in the nearby Yakima Valley, you can expect that the beers that they’ll be pouring at the upcoming Vancouver Brewfest, will be among the freshest beers that you’ve ever experienced!
Fresh hop beers are wonderful snapshots in time…and they’re as unique as they are nuanced
They also take HUGE amounts of hops to produce and can be immensely challenging to brew.
You see, unlike processed hops, which can add to a beer’s predictability, brewing fresh hop beers has been said to be like “trying to make tea with freshly picked leaves instead of a Lipton tea bag.” The unknown is king in this world where factors like a hop’s moisture percentage and the temperature ratio might affect a beer’s eventual outcome. But that’s part of what makes brewing fresh hop beers so much fun.
Brewing with fresh hops can also be a comparatively messy and time-consuming undertaking. But in the end, it can produce beers that are among the best and brightest in the world. And the opportunity to enjoy these special offerings in a wonderful setting is a “once-in-a-lifetime” drinking experience.
Taking place on October 7th and 8th at Vancouver Landing alongside the beautiful Columbia River, this year’s Vancouver Brewfest – Fresh Hop Edition will feature some of the FRESHEST and most adventurous creations from the region’s best craft breweries.
There will be amazing offerings like Walking Man Brewing’s Fresh Hopped Bi-Ped Red, which was dry-hopped with a mind-blowing 100+ pounds of freshly picked Cascade hops!
But the point is to try them all because you’ll never be able to sample these particular beers (brewed with these specific freshly picked hops) ever again.
Once again, the Vancouver Brewfest – Fresh Hop Edition will make its two-day debut on Friday, October 7th (4-10pm) and Saturday, October 8th (11am-9pm). It’s all taking place this year at Vancouver Landing on the Columbia River (where Vancouver Brewfest held their Spring Edition), and both one-day and full-weekend passes are on sale now.
For additional details be sure to check out the helpful Brewfest FAQs Page. We look forward to seeing you there!
