Pacific City, Oregon based Pelican Brewing debuts Sparkle Hops - a non-alcoholic hopped and fruited sparkling water.

The category of non-alcoholic options designed to appeal to the craft beer drinker is growing into a hop water segment and Pelican Brewing Company is the first Oregon brewery to embrace it. Rather than attempt the costly and difficult proposition of making alcohol removed beers which struggle with oxidation, thin body, cheesy-off flavors, some breweries like Pelican have figured out how to replicate the delicious flavors of pale ale in a carbonated water with a cleaner, fresher taste than alcohol removal.

Pelican Brewing Company is launching Sparkle Hops in 2 flavors as their first foray into non-alcoholic beverages. Each flavor focuses on a different popular single hop variety paired with a fruit essence, each with bubbly carbonation and a thirst-quenching experience. Citra-Hopped flavor showcases the bright, zesty, grassy, hop variety with a splash of lemon brightness. Strata hop-infused flavor exemplifies the piney, tropical, berry, but dank hop variety with the antioxidant rich superfood Acai that contributes blueberry like flavors.

“This has been a thing in house for about a year and half,” says Pelican R & D brewer Coren Tradd. One of the production brewers came up with the idea, and at first they were just making it for themselves in a counter top fizzy water maker like you may do at home. It was such a hit among the production team that Coren says “We figured out a way to make it and voila hop water was born. We then started canning it in dead can sku's or blanks and drinking it by the pallet. It was like ‘hey, maybe we should sell this???'‘

After they realized the crossover potential, Pelican began rethinking how to make a quality project for the consumers and not just the brewers. They began by trying different hops and flavor combos in small brite tanks to see what works, and the process naturally changed over time. Coren says there was “lots of trial and error, basically to see what worked and what didnt. The pH lives just under 4 I believe, so a little under finished beer.” The current method involves filling a fermenter with de-aerated, filtered water, chilling, then infusing the hops and fruit just like they would dry hop a beer. The following day or two they run the hopped water through a centrifuge so it’s crystal clear and crisp, then through an in line carbonator to a brite tank where it lives until they are ready to can it.

“It was such a hit with our brew staff that we realized we should be sharing this with our beloved flock. We also saw an opportunity with consumers shifting preferences towards non-alcoholic beverages and wanted to offer our Pelican take on this growing category,” says Mary Jones, Co-Founder, and CEO of Pelican Brewing Company.

The striking pink Strata offering pairs the bountiful flavors of blueberry and blackberry from the Oregon-grown hops with the earthy taste of açai. The Citra flavor delivers an extra zip with every sip as the bold hops give citrusy notes of hop character paired with a zing of lemon in the finish.

Sparkle Hops two flavors are now available in 12 oz. six-packs at stores near you, at Pelican’s four coastal brewpubs, and can now be shipped direct-to-consumers nationwide through Pelican’s website at https://shop.pelicanbrewing.com/product-category/sparkle-hops/. Consumers can choose from a three-month subscription service that delivers four six-packs every month for three months, or individual purchase of four six-packs of either the Citra or Strata flavor. Shipping begins June 21st, 2022.

Pelican Brewing Company was born at the beach in 1996. Here, in front of a rundown old building at the water’s edge, stood three enthusiastic young folks whose thirst for great beer overshadowed their understanding of what it would take to build a brewery. They did it anyway. Thanks to the vision of founding owners Jeff Schons, Mary Jones and brewmaster Darron Welch, Oregon’s only beachfront brewpub became one of the state’s most popular destinations. And now 26 years later, Pelican Brewing Company is an iconic beach brand and one of the most decorated craft breweries in Oregon. Pelican has been honored with more than 450 awards, including the prestigious 2015, 2016, 2017 Australian International Beer Awards Champion Medium International Brewery; 2014 World Beer Cup Champion Small Brewery; 2013 Great American Beer Festival Large Brewpub of the Year. Why? Pelican brews are playful, but not frivolous. Brewed with purpose, passion and a deep respect for the craft. Pelican operates brewing and brewpub facilities in Pacific City, Cannon Beach, and its state-of-the-craft brewery in Tillamook, Oregon where it brews 40,000 barrels of award-winning beer annually and distributes to six states. Pelican’s vision, its beer and values were born at the beach, where the team wakes up each day in a place that reminds them that amazing is possible. Cheers, Fellow Fanatics!  

For more information, visit Pelican Brewing Company