Fresh hops are brewed during a very brief window of the year when hops are being harvested. It’s the one time brewers can use hops directly after they’re picked from the vine and before they are processed in any way; normally hops are dried and then pelletized. During fresh hop season, the hop cones go straight from the vine to the beer in a matter of hours. The result is a wonderfully aromatic, fresh-tasting creation. But fresh hop beer isn’t easy being green. The brewhouse fermenter sits empty waiting for the phone call. It’s an eternity if there’s only three fermenters. After the hop farm gives the green thumbs up, a few brewers hit the road while the others begin the brewing process. At the farm, the brewers fill huge bags full of the wonderful smelling fresh hop cones knowing that they need to arrive back at the brewery before the boil. A new round of fresh hop beers has arrived at Peaks & Pints. Therefore, we present another in-house flight of fresh hop beers — this time naming it Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Fresh Hop Friday

Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Fresh Hop Friday

Mirage Bluedawn

5.8% ABV

A collaboration with Howzit Brewing in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mirage Beer‘s Bluedawn is a New England-style extra pale ale brewed with freshly picked Citra hops from Perrault Farms in Toppenish, Washington. Next, the two breweries rushed back over the Cascades again this time grabbing fresh Mosaic hops from Carpenter Ranches in Granger for Bluedawn’s dry hopping. Mirage founder and head brewer Michael Dempster says that he’s, “Wildly proud of this one. Ran the math and hit 40 pounds of fresh hops per barrel, if arbitrary numbers matter to you. Either way, this is the best fresh hop beer I’ve ever made.”

Deschutes Fresh Hop Chasin’ Freshies

6.5% ABV

This year, Deschutes Brewery‘s annual fresh hop IPA is brewed with fresh Simcoe hops from Coleman Agriculture in St. Paul, Oregon. Purchased from Mary Ellen Jackson Coleman in 1936, Coleman’s “Homeplace” Farm acquired its name from being the first piece of property owned by the Coleman family. Originally 400 acres, the farm has over doubled in size as of today, with more than 1,000 acres of hops nine varieties, including Simcoe, which Deschutes chased for dank and bitter notes.

Kulshan Fresh Hop El Dorado

6.5% ABV

Kulshan Brewing’s El Dorado Fresh Hop was brewed at their Sunnyland brewery with 200 pounds of fresh El Dorado from Champoux Farms in the Yakima Valley. Smooth and well balanced, this fresh hop IPA bursts with juicy, tropical fruit notes, slight citrus, and slight pine accents.

Stoup HBC 586 Fresh Hop Fiend IPA

6.8% ABV

The eighth in Stoup Brewing’s 2023 Fresh Hop Fiend series, HBC 586 Fresh Hop Fiend is packed with 300 pounds per batch of HBC 586 fresh hops from Perrault Farms in Toppenish. HBC 586 brings citrus, mango, and sweet fruit aromas.

Stoup ADHA 1624 Fresh Hop Fiend IPA

7.1% ABV

The ninth in Stoup Brewing’s 2023 Fresh Hop Fiend series, ADHA 1624 Fresh Hop Fiend is packed with 300 pounds per batch of ADHA 1624 fresh hops from Roy Farms in Moxee, Washington. ADHA 1624 brings grapefruit, lemon, and orange aromas.

LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory