Fresh Hop 2024

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by BBThunderbolt, Aug 6, 2024.

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  1. bcm119

    bcm119 Savant (1,195) Feb 17, 2001 California
    Society

    Having an Occidental FH pilsner at Smitty's in Sellwood. I think I had one at this same place about a year ago, and can't recall how it compares, but it's tasty. Subtle is a good word. A good first beer of the day.

    Looked for the Eliot at a few places but struck out so far.
     
    #81 bcm119, Aug 23, 2024
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  2. heyhiggi

    heyhiggi Devotee (347) Sep 6, 2014 Oregon
    Trader

    Had a FH If you fresh hop it they will come IPA from Stormbreaker and it wasn’t anything special
     
    #82 heyhiggi, Aug 24, 2024
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  3. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Had one of those tonight, and can confirm.

    This is why I don't get particularly thrilled by StormBreaker announcing 17 fresh hop beers this year. I tried this one just because their FH kolsch was unexpectedly good. And this...was not.
     
    #83 vurt, Aug 24, 2024
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  4. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hmmmm..... I went to the brewpub on Mississippi yesterday, where I tried 5 of their fh beers on tap. At least on draft, the "if you fh it" was the best of the lot I thought. Lots of watermelon flavor on a fairly lean frame (fairly dry). All 5 beers were pretty decent I thought, but the standout for me was the "if you FH it." Other FH IPAs were the Hop it don't drop it, and the handfuls of fh. Then there was the FH safety meeting apa and the FH extra ESB. The safety meeting had an interesting cucumber and melon aroma/flavor.

    That being said, the pricing of these beers was interesting. On tap, all of the FH beers were $9 a pint. However, if you bought the same beers by the 4 pack, the cost was $17 for the "if you fh hop it." That's a pretty sizeable price disparity and had me scratching my head. If one were suspicious and didn't know better, one might wonder if Stormbreaker feels their can versions are significantly inferior to the draft version.
     
    #84 John_M, Aug 24, 2024
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  5. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The FH Eliot that I had before the If You Fresh Hop It certainly didn't do the StormBreaker beer any favors. I'm sure the salmon salad I had for dinner also impacted my palate. Under those conditions, I found the If You Fresh Hop It IPA rather sweet and definitely bland with regard to the fresh hops.

    I still have a can of Handfuls of Fresh Hops to try. That's ranged from solid to very good over the past few years.

    As for the pint price, that's been the trend at breweries and taphouses. I'd walk away from most $9 pints, tho.
     
    #85 vurt, Aug 24, 2024
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2024
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  6. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Or, maybe, they're taking a cue from Uber: Demand Pricing. Maybe they think the folks who want to pick em all won't care if a pour is a couple bucks more, and the cans are more priced at closer to market rate?
     
    #86 BBThunderbolt, Aug 25, 2024
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  7. DefenCorps

    DefenCorps Grand Pooh-Bah (4,838) Jan 18, 2007 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    This. I was surprised to see the FH Volatile go for $10/pint at the brewery last year, but 4-packs at $18-20. And the cans were straight up 5/5 beers for me.
     
    #87 DefenCorps, Aug 25, 2024
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  8. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Speaking of the FH Eliot, I think it's currently on tap over at Roscoe's. It was on tap there as of 3 PM yesterday, but it seems like taphouses are blowing thru their FH kegs pretty quickly this year. So can't be sure it's still on tap today.

    As others have advised, the current version is pretty tasty.
     
    #88 John_M, Aug 25, 2024
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  9. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Structures is dropping FH Vivid on Friday, the first FH up here that I'm aware of.
     
    #89 BBThunderbolt, Aug 25, 2024
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  10. heyhiggi

    heyhiggi Devotee (347) Sep 6, 2014 Oregon
    Trader

    Per IG Great Notion should be dropping some FH this week.
     
    #90 heyhiggi, Aug 25, 2024
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  11. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    This is good to know. I'm not the biggest Great Notion fan, but in the past some of their FH beers have been outstanding.
     
    #91 John_M, Aug 25, 2024
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  12. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Mrs. vurt and I stopped at John's in Beaverton for a burger and a beer before the Timbers match.

    They had no fresh hop cans in the cooler. None. That section of the cooler was conspicuously empty.

    Methinks the beer drinkers in the Portland area are fiending for some fresh hops this season.
     
    #92 vurt, Aug 25, 2024
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  13. bcm119

    bcm119 Savant (1,195) Feb 17, 2001 California
    Society

    FH Eliot was on tap and available in cans this afternoon at Array bottle shop in the Brooklyn neighborhood. Tasty beer, glad I got to taste it before I head home tonight.
     
    #93 bcm119, Aug 26, 2024
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  14. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Speaking of FH Eliot: cans are available at Lazy Days in Beaverton (4-packs are $19), and it's also a guest tap.
     
    #94 vurt, Aug 26, 2024
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  15. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Agreed. When I was at Stormbreaker Friday, I think 3 or 4 other patrons came in to get a sampler tray of their FH stuff. I go to Stormbreaker almost every year during FH season, and I've never seen this before. I was surprised and impressed.
     
    #95 John_M, Aug 26, 2024
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  16. blackcloud

    blackcloud Savant (1,243) Apr 28, 2012 Alaska
    Trader

    Had one there Saturday afternoon, and it was indeed quite tasty.
     
    #96 blackcloud, Aug 26, 2024
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  17. heyhiggi

    heyhiggi Devotee (347) Sep 6, 2014 Oregon
    Trader

    Came across this today looking for info on the Portland Fresh Hop Fest. Didn’t find any details.

    https://www.rosecityhopfest.com/

    I usually volunteer at the Portland Fest and I am thinking that they aren’t doing it this year. I know since COVID it has been harder for them to pull off but last year was well attended.
     
    #97 heyhiggi, Aug 26, 2024
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  18. snaotheus

    snaotheus Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,924) Oct 6, 2008 Washington
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I just got back (three hours ago) from two weeks in Poland, and I have some new Polish beer buddies that would appreciate a shot at actually-kinda-fresh-fresh-hops that are really not a thing in their otherwise pretty cool beer scene. I'll probably make two packages of 8 or so cans to either ship late September, or take overseas and ship from Germany in early/mid September.

    Any recommendations for choices?

    I have not yet had my first fresh hop and I'm quite excited...
     
    #98 snaotheus, Aug 26, 2024
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  19. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    It's still pretty early in the season, but so far the Ex Novo Eliot seems to be a consensus fan favorite. There should be an influx of FH stuff over the next couple of weeks, at which time it should be easier to make recommendations.

    Glad to hear you made it home safely. Sounded like you had some travel related difficulties getting out of Amsterdam (based on your beer status comment)?
     
    #99 John_M, Aug 26, 2024
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  20. snaotheus

    snaotheus Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,924) Oct 6, 2008 Washington
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah. Shouldn't have been stressful (for a seasoned traveler, just routine travel garbage) but Delta and KLM conspired to make it hard. A bird caused a 1.5 hour delay on our Krakow-Amsterdam flight, so we missed our Amsterdam-Seattle flight on Sunday, and eventually got out the next morning at nine.
     
    #100 snaotheus, Aug 26, 2024
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