Fresh Hop's in Minnesota

Mankato has fresh hop mixed packs with both an American IPA and a Belgian IPA.

 

Looking forward to comparing surly's wet and indeed's fresh hop this weekend.
Doubly interesting since they are both mosaic.

 

Hmm. Doubly.? Now im interested.

 

Do a side by side taste taste of Surly Wet and Indeed Fresh Hop served at identical temperatures and glassware.

Appearance: Both have identical color. Wet has a bit bigger and denser head. Carbonation is a little bit livelier in Wet as well.

Smell: Wet has a very faint aroma. Smells like green hops and is sweet. Fresh Hop's aroma is no powerhouse either but it is dank and with some resin.

Taste: Almost identical hop flavor. Wet finishes sweet while Fresh Hop finishes with the dankness we have gotten to know from Mosaic.

Mouthfeel: Here I definitely prefer Wet's slightly better carbonation and bigger body.

Overall: I do not think either one is all that great. Fresh Hop wins by price point and better flavor and would be the one I would recommend.

 

I am really enjoying the Indeed Fresh Hop right now.

 

I love Town Hall - really do - but...but, the Fresh 100 is not right.

 

Thing we gotta remember is the quality of the hop harvest for the year dictates the beer.

That said:

Harvest > Fresh Hop > Wet > It’s Gold

Final offer.

Chances are high that CD will blow them all away again.

 

I have been wondering about this as well. Isn't Mosaic one of those hops that is only grown on a few farms in Oregon and Washington? Maybe it was not a good year and they decided to just sell most of it off as wet hops and maximize profits instead of making hop pellets out of an inferior product. It will be interesting what Castle Danger's is like when they release theirs. Who is making wet hop beers out of local hops? Seemed like an ideal year for hops in this region with a cool summer, long sunny days, and timely rains.

 

I think lift bridge and any brewery that used mighty axe hops

 

Outstanding review of both, They are worth a 1 4pk buy and done for the season.

 

Having just had the Indeed Fresh Hop- well made, good balance, etc. etc. I know I am in the minority but I am questioning my like for Mosaic- smells like onion, tastes like onion (good thing I didn't step in it!). I guess I prefer a little pine and dank!

 

That’s just it... it’s like when surly used simco dor wet, maybe some hops that are outstanding in the normal brew process aren’t meant for wet hops. Maybe everyone should just use citra (wet’s best year)

 

So... Is it possible that the increased number of solid IPAs is reducing the percieved quality of the Fresh Hop IPAs?

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the various Fresh Hop IPAs I'm getting. But the degree to which they are better/different from all the other wonderful IPAs around seems smaller. But I'm not sure if that's because they're different this year, or I'm just living in a blissful world of awesome ipas.

 

This is exactly where I’m at right now. The quality of the wet’s just aren’t matching up to what I’m normally drinking.

 

I never related wet hop beers with a superior pale ale. It was just a different way of presenting the hop character to the drinker. My favorite pale ales are not wet hop beers although I have rated a few fairly high.

 

Wet is disappointing. Barely distinguishable as a wet hop beer or even a mosaic hop beer.

 

I opened one Thursday and my wife who was 10' away spent the Mosaic hops.

 

So what did she spend it on?