Fresh Hop Fiend (2025): ADHA 1631
Stoup Brewing Brewery & Taproom

A 16 ounce draft pour into Willi Becher glass at a public house.

Look- Pale gold, mildly hazy, white sudsy head, slightly above average head retention, average lacing.

Smell- Grapefruit, peach, strawberry, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Grapefruit, strawberry, lemongrass, herbaceous, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, highly prickly, highly creamy, average carbonation, mildly mouth warming, highly bitter.

Overall- Pale gold and mildly hazy with slightly above average head retention and average lacing. The nose was a mix of grapefruit, peach and strawberry. It could have used some pine or dankness for balance. The flavor profile followed the bouquet but was more balance with notes of lemongrass that added an earthy/herbal component to the fruitiness. This beer had medium body with a good amount of prickly fresh hop character. Overall this beer was solidly made and showcased a new hop. That hop didn’t have a very dynamic aromatic or flavor profile, so it made for an average beer.

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with a fine, two finger white head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of lightly caramel malt, fruit hops, fruit punch and light pineapple. Flavor is lightly caramel malt, fruit and piney hops, pineapple, red berries and mango with some resiny pine in the finish; nice assertive hop bitterness. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. This is the most interesting fresh hop so far this year. The initial taste is very fruit forward and leans to the tropical fruit character of hazy IPAs, but then finishes with some resin and firm bitterness. Quite a big different profile than the citrus West Coast IPAs. I look forward to the use of this hop in future hop bills. This is most interesting and my favorite fresh hop of the year.