It’s the hoppiest time of year.
As Autumn arrives in the Pacific Northwest, there are many reasons to welcome the change of season. Cooler temperatures and clear crisp evenings, football games, and fresh local produce are some of the things we enjoy in our house. But there is one sign of the season that especially excites my family – it’s FRESH HOP BEER SEASON!
If you’re unfamiliar with it, have no fear. Hops are green, cone-shaped flowers and are used to brew every single beer currently on the market. Over 90% of the hops grown in the United States are sourced from the Pacific Northwest. The harvest season is short, stretching from August into September. After harvest, the hop cones are usually kiln dried and made into dried pellets. Most beer in the world is made using dried hop pellets.
But during the fresh hop season, the hops are never dried. The brewers in Oregon have developed close relationships with many of the area growers and when the harvest begins, they race out to the fields to gather the freshest of cones to make fresh hop beer. The idea is to make beer within a few hours of harvesting the hops to make the freshest beer possible.
Fresh hop beers are unique. They are aromatic and flavorful. But they don’t age or travel well, so they need to be consumed quickly — that’s never an issue in our house! Breweries don’t send their fresh hop beers out of state. If you’re looking to sample a seasonal brew, you can find some canned at your favorite local grocery stores.
But the best place to sample fresh hop beer is at the brewery itself. Or get the full experience and try a bunch of them at the PDX Fresh Hops Festival at Oaks Park on September 30 and October 1.
Grab an heirloom tomato topped pizza, open a can of your favorite fresh hop beer, and be thankful you live in the best hop area of the world!
Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!
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Interested in making Portland your home?
Call Cheri Harney, at 503-319-4858.
