Behold: the fresh hop season has returned! It is now the time to pay tribute to all ales hoppy, when hopheads rejoice with a freshie in hand. Lucky for Northwesterners, the best way to do this is by making it down to a festival that showcases more of the freshest and hoppiest beers than imaginable.
Hood River Hops Fest || Hood River, OR || Sept. 24 || This family-friendly, 13th annual celebration of hop-delight features over 50 breweries and more than 75 fresh hop beers to indulge on while listening to live music put on by Seattle’s Polyrhythmics, all in downtown Hood River. Don’t forget to take your collectable mug home with you. || Prices start at $15 during presale, $20 day of.
Portland Fresh Hops Fest || Sept. 30-Oct. 1 || For 13 years, this hop harvest festival has been homing in on Oregon craft beer made with freshly picked hops. This year will feature more than 60 fresh hop beers, exclusively brewed in Oregon. Food will be available from Monk’s Deli and the Urban German Grill, while vendors like the Oregon Hop Growers Association and Bottle Tap will be on hand to discuss hops and products. || Prices start at $20.
Fresh Hop Ale Festival || Yakima, WA || Oct. 1 || Kick off the month of October with a bit of bitterness. Ales from over 45 individual makers will bring you one of the very best annual fresh hop beer tasting experiences from the heartland of hops. With easy accessibility to over 100 unique beers, putting thought into what you want to explore is advised. There will also be live music, wine, cider, cocktails and a best fresh hop 2016 winner announced and celebrated. || Prices start at $35.
Hoptober Freshtival || Boise, Idaho || Oct. 1 || Local fresh hop ales are gathered and gulped in downtown Boise for this third annual affair. More than 2,000 hopheads flock to the central locale to taste more than 60 fresh hop and seasonal beers from upward of 30 local and regional craft breweries.|| Prices start at $20.
Sisters Fresh Hop Festival || Sisters, OR || Oct. 1 || Join all the fun in Village Green Park as beer lovers alike celebrate this harvest’s hoppy fruits of labor. With 24 different brewers in attendance, trying many of the Northwest’s best bitters is at (or held in a cup between) your fingertips. || Prices start at $5/pint, or $1 token/4oz pour.
BC Hop Fest | Abbotsford, BC || Oct. 1 || From big producers to the lesser known, delicious beers come to you via this annual event, bringing British Columbia’s ever-so-rapidly growing craft breweries together. Thirty individual breweries will supply their best creations and won’t be shy to answer any question about their practice. || Prices start at $35.
Fresh Hops Festival | Seattle || Oct. 7-8 || Hale’s Palladium, located in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, will feature fresh hop beers from 20 different breweries. Sliders will also be available from Hale’s kitchen, as well as street artist performances. Not all the details have been released, but how could it even get any better with a freshie in your hand? || Prices start at $25.
Fresh Hop Pop-Up Beer Fest | Portland || Sept. 20-24 || An outdoor beer garden in Burnside Brewing’s parking lot features new fresh hop beers from eight rotating drafts, changing daily over the course of the event. For an additional $1 per pint, boost your beer with aroma and flavor enhancement by way of Hop-Shine, a fresh hop extract made by MicroHops, the only commercial hop farmer west of the Cascades. || Prices start at $5/pint, $3/half pint.
