FRESH HOP FRENZY!

August 30, 2023

North Coast breweries are busy whipping up batches of fresh hop beer in a variety of styles, taking full advantage of the splendid harvest now underway.

Fort George Brewery is planning a whopping six special beer releases in September, each made with fragrant fresh hops grown at Willamette Valley farms.

That’s a record for the Astoria brewery – and a gift to beer lovers throughout the region.

Fresh hops are super perishable, so breweries have to rush them from farm to brew tank – within a few hours, preferably. It’s also advisable to drink these beers as close to the release date as possible to enjoy peak flavors and aromas.

So, don’t miss out!

The guide below may help:

REACH BREAK BREWING

Fresh Hop IPA – Made with Centennial hops from Crosby Hop Farm. Released Aug. 28.

FORT GEORGE BREWING

Fresh IPA – West Coast style, with Centennial hops from Crosby. Released Sept. 9.

Fresh Hop Fields of Green – Hazy IPA with Simcoe hops from Coleman Hop Farm. Tentative release: Sept. 19

Illuminaut IPA – Collaboration with Varietal Beer Co. of Sunnyside, Wash., and Moonraker Brewing of Auburn, Calif. West Coast style, with Luminosa hops from Coleman. Tentative release: Sept. 20.

Columbus Architect – Collab with Ghost Town Brewing of Oakland, Calif. West Coast style IPA, with Columbus hops. Tentative release: Sept. 21.

Rock, Paper, Cascade – Pale ale, with Cascade hops from Crosby. Tentative release: Sept. 27.

Co-Hoperative Ale – Made with fresh hops brought to the brewery by local growers. Tentative release: Sept. 28.

BUOY BEER CO.

Fresh Hop Helles Lager – Released on draught Sept. 9.

PELICAN BREWING

Elemental Fresh Hop Beer – An IPA, with Cascade hops from Goschie Farms. Tentative release: mid-September.

PUBLIC COAST BREWING

Fresh (Landing) Hop Lager — Made with a blend of Cascade and Magnum hops grown at Public Coast Farm. Tentative release: mid-September.

We’re reaching out to other North Coast breweries and will add their fresh hop brews to this list, so check back often.

On a related note, the 19^th annual Portland Fresh Hops Festival is coming up at Oaks Amusement Park. The Sept. 29-30 event is a fundraiser for the nonprofit Oregon Brewers Guild. To learn more, visit www.oregoncraftbeer.org/pdx-fresh-hops-festival.

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Q/A WITH DWAYNE SMALLWOOD OF BRIDGE & TUNNEL

Dwayne Smallwood may be Astoria’s most recognizable person, and much of that has to do with his signature beard – long, white and wild. Another reason, of course, is Bridge & Tunnel, the bottleshop and taproom that boasts one of the finest rotating craft beer selections on the North Coast.

THE NOMADS OF CRAFT BREWING

During the darkest days of the pandemic, North Coast craft breweries had to close their taprooms and brewpubs.

It was a huge economic blow, but the businesses survived in part by pivoting almost entirely from draft to canned beer either sold “to go” or through distributors.

There was a problem, however. Most smaller breweries lacked canning lines.

More than ever, they needed the services of the nomads of the industry: mobile canners.

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The Have Nots

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