Best Fresh Hop Beers of 2020, Round 2
Earlier into the hop harvest season, an intrepid group of beer writers gathered in the New School world headquarters driveway to taste through 14 Fresh Hop beers and share their favorites. That early tasting featured nearly all beers that used fresh Strata and Centennial hops that have become among the most popular local varieties for fresh hopping. Now more than a month into the season, we reconvened the panel to taste through 23 more Fresh Hop beers that begin to show some of the hops that were picked later like Cascade, Mosaic, Simcoe and Citra.
Jeff Alworth of the popular Beervana blog and author of the Beer Bible, joined New School contributors Neil Ferguson and Bill Night and myself - Ezra Johnson-Greenough for round 2 of fresh hop tasting. Over 3 hours the motley crew sniffed and sipped through all 23 beers and opined and debated flavors and aromas, and what makes for a good fresh hop beer.
“I feel like this second round was a deeper dive into more intense, fresh-hop forward beers that generally comes with the second wave of new beers during the season,” remarked New School contributor Neil Ferguson. “The earliest beers tend to be more mellow in their greenness while these definitely ramped up that characteristic.”
“I was glad to see Fresh Strata in the rearview mirror,” added noted fresh hophead Bill Night.
Strata and Centennial both made for great fresh hops, but both are also very distinct and after you taste a lot of them you do get some sameness and burnout. We had a few great strata fresh hop beers in this round that stood out, but the new later harvested varieties were refreshing.
“We are in the heart of the season, when the beers are at their most expressive and intense” said Beervana and the Beer Bible author Jeff Alworth.
While we were all very impressed with this seasons fresh hop beers, there can be great differences of opinion on what makes for a good one. We all detect fresh hops differently and are more or less sensitive to some flavors and aromas. That said, we all agree that these beers must be evaluated in two ways: Quality of the underlying beer and lack of off-flavors/aromas, and separately on the fresh hop flavor/aroma and how detectable it is over regular hoppy notes.
Below are our tasting notes on 23 Fresh Hop beers that represent the juicy middle of this years harvest. Get to the end and you will find our top 5 as averaged out by everyone’s final rankings.
TASTING NOTES
Everybody's Brewing: Head Stash
“Bitter and citrusy up front, but a note of diacetyl that leads to a sweet, orange finish. Subdued fresh hop character” - Jeff Alworth.
“Juicy, perfumy and citrus-forward with a touch of sweetness to complement the hops and a nice bitterness to balance it all out” - Neil Ferguson.
“Orange, bay leaf, cilantro, all notes I am pulling out of this beer. It’s a paler and drinkable session fresh hop beer.” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“This is nice, reminds me of pre-2010 Bridgeport Hop Harvest. As it warms up, unfortunately there is too much diacetyl” - Bill Night.
Fort George Brewery: Rock, Paper, Sterling
“Stealing Bill's quote: "I think it's a fresh hop IPL." Quite bitter, and not obviously a pils. Howevver, plenty of fresh hop character, though it does finish a bit aggressively” - Jeff Alworth.
“Nicely herbal and slightly vegetal punch from the Sterling hop with a honey sweetness and a crisp bite. This is one hoppy pils!” - Neil Ferguson.
“Bready, grainy, herbal and spicy with a surprising amount of lingering bitterness and soapy and frothy mouthfeel” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“Great smell, unfortunately not enough green flavor for me. I like bitter, but the aftertaste on this is a little too bitter. This is a pilsner for heaven's sake!” - Bill Night.
West Coast Grocery: Fresh Hop Strata IPA
“Interesting yeast character, and a honey-lemon sweetness. Vegetal smell, but it doesn't carry over to the taste. Delicate fresh hop flavor, but harmonizes nicely” - Jeff Alworth.
“Sweet, bitter and malty – weird estery notes and only a hint of fresh hop taste and aroma. Not a fan” - Neil Ferguson.
“A bit too vegetal for me, I get cooked carrots and peppers. But there is some nice sweet orange, honey, bready and creamy flavors and body” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“Nice light ale, lets the fresh hops come through nicely” - Bill Night.
Ferment Brewing: Fresh Hop Strata IPA
“Unexpected minty sweet flavor. Zingy sensation, sort of like SweetTarts. Fresh hop note is mild” - Jeff Alworth.
“This one is a bit hazy and in as fresh hop IPA, it’s super mellow. Little to no bitterness, juicy with a subdued citrus from the Strata” - Neil Ferguson.
“Not fresh hoppy enough. Maybe not hoppy enough at all, pretty tame” - Bill Night.
“Bell peppers and herbs, a splash of lemon” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Breakside Brewery: Fresh Hop Wanderlust IPA
“Huge nose with evident fresh hopping sitting atop familiar Wanderlust aromas. Same with the flavor, where the beer is familiar and accented by a resinous sheen.” - Jeff Alworth.
“Wanderlust is already a perfect IPA and the addition of fresh Cascade hops adds a juicy dankness. Another well-executed fresh hop beer from Breakside” - Neil Ferguson.
“Tasty, but why can't I taste that fresh Cascade goodness?” - Bill Night.
“Onions, garlic, and fresh citrus. A slightly dank and pungent fresh hop beer that seems like it’s more about the base Wanderlust IPA recipe then the extra fresh hops.” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Single Hill Brewing: Ecstasy of Green
“Crazy intense aroma followed by an almost unbelievable amount of chlorophyll--a steamroller of green. Holy God--I think this may be the most intense fresh hop beer I've encountered” - Jeff Alworth.
“The use of 100% fresh hops makes this a one of a kind beer. While each individual hop gets overwhelmed by the garden green, this is fun – but not overwhelming – take on the style” - Neil Ferguson.
“Grassy, fresh cut herbs and vegetables, leafy greens etc. But why does this smell acidic? Too much weirdness for me” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“Something new! Over the top in a good way, super green and pleasantly bitter” - Bill Night.
Crux Fermentation Project: Sabro IPA
“Weird Hop, weird beer. A savory nose of undetermined vegetable. Smooth and creamy on the palate. Like a celery-flavored cream soda. Fascinating sensations” - Jeff Alworth.
“Hazy IPA with pineapple on the nose and an odd vegetal spiciness” - Neil Ferguson.
“Coconut and vanilla and oak and pineapple, all flavors I always get out of the Sabro hop. But this also has chive and spicy greens notes that must be from the fresh hops. It’s slightly sweet but light bodied for a hazy. Pretty drinkable” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“ I am confused by the weird taste of this. Jeff called it "savory". Is that a note of "chive"? "celery"? "olive"?” - Bill Night.
Ground Breaker Brewing: Route 20
“Sadly not a very good base beer--thin, slightly sour, no head. The hops are mild and not obviously fresh hops” - Jeff Alworth.
“Is this even beer? Tart and medicinal with a mess of flavors that are hard to pin down” - Neil Ferguson.
“Avoid! There's a weird tartness, a bit like kombucha. Leafy?” - Bill Night.
“Tart lemons, wet lawn. Is this oxidized? I can’t drink it” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Trap Door Brewing: Co-Hop IPA
“Diacetyl in this beer competes with hops in both the nose and palate, and produces a muddy beer without a ton of fresh hop flavor. Hazy base beer seemed solid” - Jeff Alworth.
“Judging this as a hazy alone, it is decent. Strata, Citra and Centennial fresh hops dance nicely on the palate but the freshness never takes the spotlight” - Neil Ferguson.
“Definitely diacetyl. Some real earthy dankness like pot seeds and dirt” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“Avoid! Butterscotch, unpleasant kind of bitterness. Worse than the Groundbreaker” - Bill Night.
Great Notion Brewing: Fresh Hop Ripe IPA
“Classic Ripe profile, with saturated hop character and a sweet vanilla note. Don't actually detect a ton of fresh hop, however. It's present, but largely in the aroma” - Jeff Alworth.
“This was my favorite fresh hop beer of the year in 2019 and while this year’s edition is a delicious and creamy Citra romp, it isn’t a substantial departure from the normal version” - Neil Ferguson.
“Creamsicle smoothy, vanilla and pineapple. Just a hint of grassy fresh hop flavor but certainly a good beer that will please the haze bros” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“This is nice, like a pina colada or a Malibu and pineapple juice. No fresh hop flavor” - Bill Night.
Boss Rambler Beer Club: Cone Drips
“Chlorophyll nose, but quite mild on the palate. Dry, lean beer that could just use more fresh hop oomph” - Jeff Alworth.
“Sharply bitter with a big malt backbone and only a minor kiss of citrus and floral notes from the Centennial” - Neil Ferguson.
“Pretty good, I can tease out a little fresh hops” - Bill Night.
“Very green, vegetal, woody and weeds from the lawn if that’s your thing” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Bend Brewing: Fresh Trop IPA
“Another super intense beer, with a green, plantlike nose and palate. Extremely sticky and resinous, and it builds on the palate” - Jeff Alworth.
“This one is a sleep hit if you are looking for huge fresh hop flavor and aroma. Piney, dank, bitter and oh so green” - Neil Ferguson.
“Touch of fresh hops and nice balance” - Bill Night.
“Citrus and pine, very classic old school West Coast IPA flavors” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Baerlic Brewing: Fresh Hop Pioneer ESB
“Malty, mild ale with gentle hopping. A balanced beer and tasty, but fresh hops play a small role” - Jeff Alworth.
“Unexpected style of beer to brew with fresh hops and it works surprisingly well. The even-keeled maltiness is the star here, with fresh hops adding an exciting twist on a crushable classic” - Neil Ferguson.
“Biscuits and light molasses flavors probably from the underlying beer. Sweet blueberries and citrus from the fresh hops. Tasty and a nice change of pace” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“So-so” - Bill Night.
StormBreaker Brewing: Citra Fresh Hop Mississippi Red
“Intense, sticky aroma with light citrus. It screams fresh hops, with oils, resin, and chlorophyll expressed in all the right ways. Surprisingly, the chocolately sweet base beer works really well” - Jeff Alworth.
“For those of us that can’t stand red ales (guilty), this beer transcends the style thanks in part to the brightness of Citra hops that completely tones down the malt” - Neil Ferguson.
“Fresh hops soaring over the malt” - Bill Night.
“Nice fresh hop citrus notes but for me this is still all about the pale coffee, caramel and nutty malt flavors which are very enjoyable” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
StormBreaker Brewing: House Martell
“Another excellent beer from StormBreaker, though this one has less fresh hop character and more straightforward conventional hops” - Jeff Alworth.
“StormBreaker firing off one beauty after another and, while this is a not a personal favorite, it is a easy-drinking hazy hopped up with tasty Mosaic” - Neil Ferguson.
“Lemon bar, lemongrass, lemon drops, lots of lemony fresh hop flavor! But I also get zesty mint and grapefruit and pineapple sage. My favorite of the Stormbreaker fresh hop beers and the best aroma to boot” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“Very nice tongue-scraper, I could use a little more freshness” - Bill Night.
Culmination Brewing: West Coast Story
“Delicate fresh hopping. Beer's a bit thin. Balanced” - Jeff Alworth.
“Overall a nice West Coast IPA but not mind blowing from a fresh hops perspective” - Neil Ferguson.
“Citrus peel/pith, berry-like fruit, but an earthy bitterness. Not much fresh hop flavor” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“Somewhat like the Ripe with coconut/orange. Malty and dense, missing the fresh hops” - Bill Night.
Fort George Brewery: Fresh IPA
“Good. Nice. Very Fort George-y” - Jeff Alworth.
“Clean and balanced IPA that puts Strata front and center, making an ideal introductory fresh hop beer for those who aren’t in the know” - Neil Ferguson.
“This really shows off the more wild green vegetal flavors of fresh hops, can be love or hate though. Boiled green beans and onions, corn nuts, wet leaves after a rain storm” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“OK” - Bill Night.
Bend Brewing: Strata Fresh Pale Ale
“Similar to Fresh Trop, but milder. Family resemblance” - Jeff Alworth.
“Another day another Strata. Nice rich flavor but overall a simple pale ale” - Neil Ferguson.
“This is OK, not getting the fresh hops” - Bill Night.
“I need to have this side-by-side with the Fresh Trop because I get a lot of the same flavors of classic west coast hops piney and grapefruit. Nothing wrong with that” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
TOP 5
Baerlic Brewing: Trickle Drops
“Fresh, sharp green. Really nice” - Jeff Alworth.
“Syrupy dankness with tropical fruit hop taste for a well-rounded hazy” - Neil Ferguson.
“Pink grapefruit and aspartame! Reminds me of Crystal Light pink lemonade and I mean that in the best possible way” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
“I've been waiting for Baerlic to knock me out with a FH, this one finally did” - Bill Night.
Wayfinder Beer: Stairs and Flowers
“Unusually sharp, dry example. Vivid fresh hop aroma” - Jeff Alworth.
“Seems to be a fresh hop riff on Relapse, which is one of the best West Coast IPAs around, and the fresh hops add a whole new level of funkiness to it” - Neil Ferguson.
“So clean, so green. Nothing in the way of the fresh hops” - Bill Night.
“Something about the adjuncts and low fermentation temperatures gives this a cool light, almost steely texture over which fruity hoppy cannabis flavor is overlayed” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Gigantic Brewing: The Last Simcoe
“Subdued, balanced beer--unexpected from Gigantic. Piney up front, fading into a sweet, delicate fresh hoppiness. Clean, really well made, no funky weirdness” - Jeff Alworth.
“Very well balanced classic Northwest IPA with an herbal hop flavor from the Simcoe, a hop that lends itself nicely to the style by adding a greenness to the malty, bitter backbone” - Neil Ferguson.
“I've been loving this this year. Cliched "nice malt backbone", but plenty of fresh hops on top” - Bill Night.
“Marmalade and pine, fresh basil and sweet orange. The fresh Simcoe hops are much different then the other fresh hop beers we have had and this really stands out” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Stormbreaker Brewing: Handfuls of Fresh Hops
“Wow! Rich, dense, green aromas and a saturated, pure fresh hop flavor that tends toward citrus. Amazing beer” - Jeff Alworth.
“This West Coast IPA a favorite for this year’s fresh hop beers, with the hops shining throughout the drinking experience from the nose to the mouthfeel to the aftertaste” - Neil Ferguson.
“Great IPA. Can't detect the fresh hops” - Bill Night.
“Bill is crazy, this is packed full of fresh hop flavor/aroma. This does have big clouds of grass, herbs and rind emanating from it, a bit of everything” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Old Town Brewing: Hopicana
“Incredibly sticky and resinous, both on the nose and palate. Even after just a small taster, I can feel the lupulin gathering on my tongue. Dank. Lots of chlorophyll” - Jeff Alworth.
“Huge dankness that makes it drink like a double IPA. This is a damn fine beer but fresh Citra and Mosaic hops get are relegated to the background” - Neil Ferguson.
“Called a Hazy. Not hazy looking, but nice green flavor” - Bill Night.
“Nice hazy tropical and fresh hop flavors of berries and cream, mango and lemon curd. This is a sweetish beer that will please tropical fruity hop lovers. My only ding is I dont get much fresh hop aroma” - Ezra Johnson-Greenough.
Crushed a few Freshies