Hood River Hops Fest

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by Hal_Hickey, Aug 15, 2015.

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  1. Hal_Hickey

    Hal_Hickey Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2014 Canada (BC)

    Any BA's out there who attended last years Hood River Hops Fest? I'm wondering how manageable the crowds are (a.k.a. waiting time for a beer sample) I am thinking of making the long trip but am wary of big crowds.

    Also any recommended hotels in the area? Any info would help, tnx.

    Hal
     
    #1 Hal_Hickey, Aug 15, 2015
  2. John_M

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

    I went last year. By nw standards, I guess you could say it was a bit crowded. In terms of lines, I occassionally had to wait a couple of minutes to get a beer. The barley brown beers were a huge hit, and so at one point I think there might have been roughly 20 people in line to sample wet hop pallet jack. Wait time was probably close to 10 minutes at the worst point for the bb stuff. I got to the fest roughly an hour after opening bell, to give you a timeframe reference.

    I generally go every year, getting lunch at double mountain with a glass of killer green or killer red after the fest, and then going back to pdx. So sorry, I cant help you with hotel recommendations.
     
    #2 John_M, Aug 15, 2015
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  3. Hal_Hickey

    Hal_Hickey Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2014 Canada (BC)

    Thanks for the info and BTW nice avatar! Is there a train or bus to get back easily to PDX after the event?
     
    #3 Hal_Hickey, Aug 15, 2015
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  4. TheBungyo

    TheBungyo Pooh-Bah (2,037) Dec 1, 2004 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    I've stayed at two different hotels when visiting. There's a Best Western just down the highway from Hood River and then the Hood River Hotel which is right in downtown Hood River. I prefer the latter, because it's a short walk to anywhere in the downtown area. I think it's even cheaper than the Best Western, which is nice enough, but just not near anything else.

    Edit to add:
    The Hood River Hotel is not big, so I'd book ASAP if that's where you're leaning.
     
    #4 TheBungyo, Aug 15, 2015
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  5. Reidrover

    Reidrover Grand Pooh-Bah (4,886) Jan 14, 2003 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    #5 Reidrover, Aug 16, 2015
  6. Hal_Hickey

    Hal_Hickey Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2014 Canada (BC)

    #6 Hal_Hickey, Aug 16, 2015
  7. Reidrover

    Reidrover Grand Pooh-Bah (4,886) Jan 14, 2003 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    sorry dude dint look.
    Transportation outside PDX is very flimsy in Oregon.
    Maybe look at Greyhound schedule?
     
    #7 Reidrover, Aug 16, 2015
  8. Spaceloaf

    Spaceloaf Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2008 Oregon

    I've never used them so I can't vouch for them, but I've seen their ads around:
    Tour Calendar

    They have a bus specifically to take people from PDX to Hood River for the Hop Fest on Sat.
    https://experiencebrewvana.rezdy.com/69173/hood-river-hops-fest-10am-5-30pm?iframe=1

    (Of course, to do the round-trip, you would have to stay in PDX rather than Hood River, not that that's necessarily a bad thing...)
     
    #8 Spaceloaf, Aug 20, 2015
  9. Hal_Hickey

    Hal_Hickey Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2014 Canada (BC)

    Thanks, that would be a good option. I'd prefer to stay in PDX as the Hood River hotels are over the top expensive!
     
    #9 Hal_Hickey, Aug 20, 2015
  10. RedMedicine

    RedMedicine Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2005 Oregon

    Easily one of my favorite events ever. Lines are completely manageable w/ mostly no waits (Barley Browns and maybe Laurelwood being the exceptions). The Best Western is great and walkable.
     
    #10 RedMedicine, Aug 20, 2015
  11. oregonskibum

    oregonskibum Initiate (0) Mar 14, 2009 Oregon

    Is Brewvana doing a bus to Hood River this year?
     
    #11 oregonskibum, Aug 21, 2015
  12. honkduh

    honkduh Initiate (0) Jun 2, 2011 Oregon

    Yes
     
    #12 honkduh, Aug 21, 2015
  13. MicroFanatic

    MicroFanatic Devotee (389) Mar 21, 2009 Washington

    A fantastic time had at this year's Hood River Fest! Stuck primarily with ipas and had about 43 different ones of course shared with a few others. Our favorites without a doubt were: Ex Novo-Fresh Hop Elliott, Solera-Rabbit Test, Crux-Crux-o-rillo, Crux-Centennial, Laurelwood-Fresh Hop Workhorse, Breakside-Simcoe, and Breakside-Fresh Hop Wanderlust. We were disappointed that although on the list Barley Browns was a no show.
     
    #13 MicroFanatic, Sep 28, 2015
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  14. John_M

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

    +1 to this for the most part.

    After reading all the positive reports about it, I wasn't all that impressed with the fresh hop work horse. I thought the Fresh Hop Elliott had a lot more of the fresh hop watermelon flavor everyone mentioned they got in the WH, and so I preferred it to the fresh hop WH. Otherwise, the beers you listed as favorites were all among my favorites as well, though I also liked the single hop citra from Backwoods brewing and Gigantics Sodbusted III (rise of simcoe).

    Barley Brown's absence was a major disappointment, and now I'm wondering if they're going to be a no show for the PDX event this weekend as well. The fresh hop pallet jack was so damned good last year, that I'd be willing to make the drive up to PDX, if I was sure their beers were going to be in attendance at the event.
     
    #14 John_M, Sep 28, 2015
  15. TankSlapper

    TankSlapper Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2012 Oregon

    Hey guys, sorry about the no-show. That was my bad, I was out of the country and replied to an email invite to pencil me in. After reviewing the brewery application, I chose not to submit. I had already committed to attend the Great American Beer Festival, and because of hop harvest dates and our brewing schedule we were limited on the amount of Fresh Hop beers we could brew.
    Barley Brown's will NOT be at the PDX Fresh Hop event.
    We will be at the Yakima Fresh Hop Festival. - Fresh Hop Pallet Jack IPA (Simcoe), and Hop Truck Crossing IIPA (Cascade). Very limited supply.
     
    #15 TankSlapper, Sep 28, 2015
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  16. distantmantra

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

    Will we see any BB FHs at Brouwers, Burgundian or Bottleworks as part of their Hop Fest week? Hop Truck Crossing was awesome last year.
     
    #16 distantmantra, Sep 28, 2015
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  17. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    No 3rd FH beer this year, just FH Pallet Jack and Hop Truck Crossing? Not complaining, just confirming. Hope to see some in Bend!
     
    #17 sharpski, Sep 28, 2015
  18. John_M

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

    For that matter, I would be interested to know if any kegs are going to make their way over to PDX (I'm not even going to dream about any kegs making it down to Eugene). I'll happily make a special trip up to PDX to try some FH pallet jack, but not Yakima. :-)
     
    #18 John_M, Sep 28, 2015
  19. maltmaster420

    maltmaster420 Initiate (0) Aug 17, 2005 Oregon

    There's a slim chance it'll make it to town. From what I heard this morning, they underestimated how much beer they needed to commit to the Yakima fest, and they obviously want to keep some in house.
     
    #19 maltmaster420, Sep 28, 2015
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  20. Bitter_Better

    Bitter_Better Initiate (0) Jul 31, 2015 Oregon

    Ex Novo can't seem to keep carbonation in their beer...loved the FH Eliot & even their Dynamic Duo, but both lacked a good bubble. That Gigantic Sodbusted III is a real winner...about to polish off my growler!

    Distressing news about BB. I won't judge. Haven't seen/had Ratchet Strap for months in PDX...it would be nice to back a new GABF winner!
     
    #20 Bitter_Better, Sep 29, 2015
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