1. Read part one of Abernathy’s two-part series on fresh hops

Fresh hop ales are true harvest beers, brewed during the annual hop harvest and only available for a limited amount of time. These beers are full of flavors and aromas only found with the fresh, undried addition of the flowers. These qualities can be delicate and ephemeral, so they tend to have a shorter shelf life before they lose potency.

Most brewers add fresh hops during the hot side of the process, either in the kettle during late stages of the boil, or just afterward, before it cools (or a combination of these).

“I am a militant proponent of using fresh hops on the ‘hot side,’” wrote Zach Beckwith, head brewer of Bend Brewing Company, via email.

“We utilize our mash tun as a hopback and run the hot wort from the whirlpool onto the fresh hops and then knock out into the fermenter.”

Other brewers I’ve spoken to treat the hops similarly, with a notable exception from Sunriver Brewing Company, which has eight fresh -hop beers this year.

Seven of those were all hot side, according to Brett Thomas, Sunriver’s director of brewery operations, with fresh hops added to the kettle and hopback.

“The outsider is our fresh hop Holy Schmidt Festbier. That beer utilizes fresh Liberty hops that have been flash frozen with liquid nitrogen and emulsified, then used for dry hopping on the cold side (brite beer tank),” he said via email.

Many of these beers are currently on tap between the brewery’s two locations. Most breweries haven’t brewed this many, though Deschutes Brewery is close with six. On Oct. 15, Deschutes’ Bend pub will be serving a fresh hop sampler tray with six brews from the Bend and Portland facilities, according to assistant brewmaster Robin Johnson. Locally, there are over three dozen fresh hop beers available. Here are a handful I’ve tried:

RiverBend Brewing Company, Millenials Hate Centennials, 6.8% ABV, 45 IBUs

RiverBend imbued this hazy IPA with fresh Centennial hops that impart a spicy, resinous character that soaks the beer from start to finish. The hops shine in the flavor, with a sticky presence of hop resin and a savory herb or peppercorn spice note.

Three Creeks Brewing Company, Conelick’r Fresh Hop IPA, 6.8% ABV

This beer won a gold medal at last year’s Great American Beer Festival. Centennial hops offer a resinous aroma with a bit of pine needles and orange rind. The flavor is big and spicy with citrus oil, fresh grapefruit peel, a bit of wet leaves, and even a hint of green bell pepper.

Bevel Craft Brewing, Green Flag Strata Fresh Hop IPA, 5.7% ABV

Bevel used fresh Strata hops in Green Flag for a tropical fruit aroma with a touch of dank cannabis. I found big flavors of fresh spicy-dank-green, a touch of raw tobacco spiciness, and some citrus oil fruit character. It’s minty with the spice and refreshing with a fresh pop of chlorophyll.

Bridge 99 Brewery, Fresh Hop IPA, 5% ABV, 50 IBUs

This easy-drinking IPA incorporated fresh Cascade and Chinook hops from local farm Tumalo Hops Company. Aromas of stone fruit and candied citrus give way to a radish greens flavor with a bitter component that reminded me of milk thistle.

GoodLife Brewing Company, 150 Hippies Fresh Hop Pale, 6% ABV, 40 IBUs

Strata hops offer up fruity and floral notes, with orange blossom, lilac, grapefruit juice and papaya. It tastes fruity-sweet, like caramelized mango, with an undercurrent of corn husk, followed by a decent moderate bitterness.

Silver Moon Brewing Company, Hydro-sphere Fresh Hop IPA, 6.7% ABV, 70 IBUs

The brewery used Strata hops, a popular variety this year. There are tropical fruit aromas with some pineapple and ripe papaya, with a solidly bitter flavor and spicy-minty notes punctuated by coconut husk and green fruit peel.

Boss Rambler Beer Club, The Fresh Fresh Centennial West Coast IPA, 6.8% ABV

This bright, golden IPA is pungent with spicy, sweaty hops with scents of citrus and crushed sorrel. On the tongue it’s minty fresh, lightly piney, with a touch of cedar and bruleed grapefruit along with spicy greens and a hint of tobacco.

Worthy Brewing Company, Hop Gusher Fresh Hop IPA, 5% ABV, 44 IBUs

Worthy used Comet hops which I found distinctive from all the other varieties I’ve tried. The aroma is catty (tomato plant), earthy, dank, with a touch of composting grass. The flavor is grassy, with wet leaves and slightly oaky bitterness, followed by fruit rind, bay leaf, and a mild peppery note.

Wild Ride Brewing Company, Journey to a New Strata-Sphere Fresh Hop IPA, 6.3% ABV, 35 IBUs

I found this to be an easy drinker, with a great malt body supporting the fresh hop character. It smells slightly dank, with papaya and dried mango and a light spicy note like chive blossom. A savory bitterness like calendula or similar herb reminded me of carrot top greens.

Top 5 Beers of the Week

Fresh Hop IPA — Bridge 99 Brewery

Rasslebock Vienna Lager — Kobold Brewing

Fresh Hop Zoigl-Kölsch — Zoiglhaus Brewing

Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale — McMenamins

Pumpkin Spice Cider — Portland Cider Company