Fresh Mt. Hood Hops

2008 has been an unprecedented year for fresh hop beer. In October I attended the Oregon Brewers Guild The Fresh Hop Beer Tastivals at Hopworks Urban Brewery, there were so many people I had flashbacks to the Portland Summer Beer Fest.

Sadly, with the leaves now more on the ground than in the trees and the rains blanketing Portland, the time for these first fall harvest fresh hop beers is coming to an end. While many of the great fresh hop beers are tapped out, you can still find a few around town.

Your best bet right now is to pick up a few bottles of Deschutes Hop Trip.  I've seen bottles at New Seasons and the Deschutes Bewpub (210 NW 11th Avenue ) still has it on tap and has a few cases to sell.  Of all the fresh hop beers this year the Hop Trip is my absolute favorite. The beer is a beautiful blend of sweet, bitter and smooth, it's magic in a pint glass.

Also on Wednesday, November 19th Belmont Station will be doing a "Last of The Fresh Hops Night" with a keg of Sierra Nevada's Harvest Fresh Hop Ale alongside a cellared keg of Southern Hemishere Fresh Hop Ale. I can't think of a more perfect way to close out the fresh hop season.

Oregeon Brewer’s Fresh Hop Beer Tastival

Packed! That's the best way to describe the Oregeon Brewer's Fresh Hop Beer Tastival at the Hop Works Urban Brewery this Saturday. Two tents filled with people enjoying the Indian Summer and a bounty of new beers with hops from the recent Oregon Hop Harvest.

$5 got you a nice pint glass and then each 4oz taste was $1. Unfortunately I was only able to taste 3 beers at the fest:

Hopworks Urban Brewery Parsec Pale Ale -I figured I had to give some love to the hosting brewery and that may Pale Ale days would be few and far between as we get into the winter. This Pale Ale is a light and tasty beer that is very clean with only a hint of hops.

Lompoc Brewing Proletariate Red – a sweet and hoppy beer with a nice clean edge,,very drinkable and if I had more time I would have enjoyed a full pint.

Beer Valley Brewing Black Flag Imperial Stout – WOW! They were only giving people 4oz tastes and that's a shame because this is quite a stout. Super Dark, Bold, flavorful and hoppy. This was a beer that really got my attention, and I'd love drink again.

I also had a chance to taste Deschutes Hop Trip before the event, and I have to say it's one of my favorite of the fresh hop bunch. I've also got a bottle of the Bridgeport's Hop Harvest in my fridge which I hope to try soon.

There's no question that Portland supports local brewery events and the excitment around the local brewers sceen is really exceptional.