Fresh Hop Season 2018

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by Superheatnsubcool, Jul 31, 2018.

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  1. Superheatnsubcool

    Superheatnsubcool Initiate (0) May 31, 2016 Washington

  2. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Me too. I see that in addition to the Yakima event, event details are now available for the Hood River and Portland fresh hop events as well.
     
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  3. derftron

    derftron Pooh-Bah (1,639) Feb 8, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    *swoon*
     
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  4. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (3,578) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I already threw this out there for the NW WBAYDN crowd, but there's a Groupon available for General Admission tickets to the Fresh Hop Fest in Yakima, and it's quite a good deal.

    https://www.groupon.com/deals/fresh-hop-ale-festival

    I don't need to point out that every dollar saved on admission is a dollar available for fresh hop beer, right?

    Nice to see Modern Times and Von Ebert amongst the other luminaries for the fest. CAN'T WAIT.
     
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  5. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader


    @vurt

    I always go to the Hood River event each year, and plan on going again this year. If I recall correctly, you've gone in the past as well, and I thought I've read that you've gone to the Yakima event as well. Is the latter that much better do you think than the HR event?

    I've been tempted to go to the Yakima event, but the added driving time and likelihood that I'll need to get a hotel room afterwards has always made me rethink the decision. Also, I like the HR event, and have always managed to have a good time there (and like the fact that I can just drive home afterwards). Is it worth the extra time and expense to go to the Yakima event?
     
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  6. derftron

    derftron Pooh-Bah (1,639) Feb 8, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    pray to god Laurelwood makes FH Workhorse this year.
     
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  7. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    And also pray to god that it's as good as the 2016 version was.

    (I was not all that greatly impressed by the version from last year).
     
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  8. derftron

    derftron Pooh-Bah (1,639) Feb 8, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I dont think they made it last year? I know they made FH Red and a FH Kolsch but i thought they skipped it last year
     
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  9. 66jzmstr

    66jzmstr Pundit (836) Jul 17, 2005 Washington

    This was my recollection as well.
     
  10. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    You're correct. I thought they made a limited amount of some other FH IPA later in the season, but you're right. I had forgotten that they didn't make a FH workhorse last year (which would help to explain why I don't have a very positive recollection of it). :sunglasses:
     
    #10 John_M, Aug 1, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2018
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  11. jakecattleco

    jakecattleco Grand Pooh-Bah (3,625) Sep 3, 2008 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I'll gladly consume lots of FH Pallet Jack... paging @TankSlapper. Will be in Bend/Sisters the first week of September climbing, would love to find that beer again!
     
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  12. derftron

    derftron Pooh-Bah (1,639) Feb 8, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    If i can drink FH Workhorse and FH Pallet Jack this year, I will be very happy :slight_smile:
     
  13. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    In my experience, getting a room is mandatory for Yakima. A: it's a couple hours more drive time. B: the event starts on the late side (6pm,IIRC). C: the taster glass is a shaker pint. Theoretically there is a half-pint pour for one ticket, and a full pint pour for 2. Every time I've asked for the half-hour, I've gotten at 12oz, and generally a full pint. The usual rules don't seem to apply over there. You will have try, very hard, to leave that fest with anything more than a general idea of what "sober" is.

    All that said, it's a fun fest. I haven't been to HR for a direct comparison, but don't let me dissuade you from hitting up Yakima.
     
  14. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Remaining relatively sober isn't such a big problem, as I just dump excess beer, and I don't mind spitting (it can be a similar problem at the HR fest as well if you drink everything poured into your mug). I'm more concerned about the added time and expense of attending the event. If the event is that much different, or that much better than the HR and PDX events, then I'd be interested in going. If it's fairly similar, with just larger beer pours, then there likely would be no point in going.
     
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  15. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yakima always seems to get a lot of exclusive stuff that Hood River never gets.
     
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  16. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (3,578) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    The event is fairly similar, except (as @beertunes pointed out) that the pours are larger and the event starts late in the day. I'd say the Yakima and Hood River fests have roughly the same number of beers and breweries. While there is some overlap, there are a lot of beers which don't make it to Hood River. (Likewise, there are beers available in Hood River which don't make it to Yakima.)

    I have never made it to the Portland fresh hop fest, so I can't comment on how it stacks up to Yakima or Hood River.

    Mrs. vurt and I like to visit Bale Breaker while we're in Yakima, as the concept of drinking fresh hop beers in the middle of a hop farm tends to put big smiles on our faces. Also, we like Bale Breaker. This is an additional incentive for us to visit Yakima, though given your opinion of Bale Breaker beers, I understand it would not be for you.

    Mrs. vurt and I have met several Washington-based BA's at the festival in Yakima. A nice bonus.

    Finally, Mrs. vurt and I are both beer drinkers and hop fans. A beer festival makes a fun weekend away for us. The impression I get is that Mrs. John_M is not much of a beer drinker, so there really wouldn't be much in Yakima for her.

    Is the Yakima Fresh Hop Fest better than the one in Hood River? It's every bit as good, and offers things we can't get in Hood River. That's why we go. When it comes to fresh hops, we prefer "and" to "or."
     
  17. JerryMeow

    JerryMeow Initiate (0) Jun 14, 2018 Washington
    Deactivated

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  18. Joshbiir

    Joshbiir Initiate (0) Dec 8, 2016 Washington

    A brewery names varietal opened a bit south of Yakima this year. Last year's fresh hop festival they had one of my favorites and didn't even have a brewery open yet. Might be another reason to go to yakimas.
     
  19. drone

    drone Savant (1,200) Jun 17, 2013 Oregon
    Trader

    My favorite time of the year. I unfortunately won't be able to make it down to the yakima fresh hop fest (someday!), but looking forward to all the freshies.

    Here's to hoping Fremont brings us a simcoe F2F....
     
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  20. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Thanks! I do like Bale Breaker beers (well, some of them), but you're right. Re-visiting the tasting room there wouldn't be a big incentive for me. And yes, I would be going to the event by myself (which is what I do now for the HR fest), but that's OK.

    More than likely I won't go to the Yakima event, though I've heard so many positive observations about it over the years, it's very, very tempting. However, as I already go to the PDX and HR event every year, it's just very difficult for me to justify going to one more.
     
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