The Brew Site
After mowing the lawn tonight I opened up that growler of Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale that I picked up from McMenamins yesterday, a nice fresh hop follow-up to mowing and raking up freshly-cut grass. This is a tasty beer, and I’m writing down these notes even as I’m drinking it—sort … Continue reading
I picked up a growler of the soon-to-be-released Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale from McMenamins Old St. Francis School today, courtesy of McMenamins: It’s slated to be released this Friday, September 19, but I got the sneak preview (though I haven’t cracked this growler yet—had plans this evening!). Each year the … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again—hop harvest season, and the first fresh hop beers are hitting the taps. (I even homebrewed a fresh hop IPA last weekend, which will be ready in a few weeks.) With that in mind, I figured it was time to set up a running tally/list … Continue reading
After a lengthy study of this year’s onslaught of fresh hops beers (I’ve kept track of over two dozen) I have to conclude that generally this year’s hop crops were milder and less fruity-fragrant than in past years, tending towards earthier aromas. It’s not a bad thing, rather just an … Continue reading
On Saturday we attended the Sisters Fresh Hop Festival that took place in, er, Sisters, and even though the weather wasn’t nearly as nice as in past years (it was drizzly and cool, which meant we spent all of the time under the main tent), we had a good time … Continue reading
This Saturday the 28th is definitely “Fresh Hop Day” across the state of Oregon, and while there’s been a ton of ink devoted to that big festival up in Hood River, there is also the fourth annual Sisters Fresh Hop Festival taking place here in Central Oregon which is offering … Continue reading
Yesterday I wrote that I’d received a free growler of McMenamins’ Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale, the one brewed here in Bend at the Old St. Francis School, and that it’s my first fresh hop beer of the season. The usual disclaimers apply: it’s received as an unsolicited PR item with … Continue reading
The hop harvesting season is upon us (as you’ve no doubt noticed in my “Fresh Hop Watch” lists in the daily news posts) and I’ve been thinking about harvesting hops: I have my own small hop plant in the yard with flowers on it ready to be picked any time, … Continue reading
Deschutes Brewery’s Chasin’ Freshies is a remarkable beer. And not because the Brewery sent me a bottle of it; there are, rather, several other reasons why. First, like last year’s Fresh Hop Mirror Pond (another remarkable beer), the fresh hops in Chasin’ Freshies come from the heirloom Cascade hop strain … Continue reading
Several beers from Deschutes Brewery arrived today: Super-fresh bottles of fresh hop beers! Ironically I just bought a bottle of Chasin’ Freshies on Friday but I’m more than happy to drink two. (Or more!)