Oregon Beer Awards 2025 Fresh Hop Medal Winners
Judging for the Oregon Beer Awards fresh hop beers competition took place on Saturday, October 4th with 25 judges evaluating 123 beers from 46 breweries in Oregon. The Oregon Beer Awards are a state-wide annual competition with an awards ceremony held at Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon in the spring, the fresh hop competition is held in early October each year at the peak of the season. There are 3 different fresh hop categories designed to catch the majority of beers that largely fall into the more clear and classic West Coast and American pale ales, another for the popular hazy styles, and a third category for outside of the box beer styles that fall into typically not-so-hoppy beer styles. In each of the 3 categories a bronze, silver, and gold medal has been awarded.
Oregon Beer Awards are special because of the rigorous judging standards, world-class judges, and fluid contemporary beer categories that reflect the current reality of beer styles. This means unlike most other beers competitions the OBA beers are judged in triplicate with double elimination methods to narrow the field down. This means that every single entry is judged by 3 sets of judges in the first round AND semifinal round and that 2 of the 3 judging teams have to agree independently on any elimination from completion as well as what beers advance to get up to the prelims, semifinals, and then to the medal round.
For the purpose of this competition, fresh hops are defined as newly harvested hops that have not been conventionally baled or stored. While the overall flavor of the beer will vary with the base style, fresh/green/wet hop flavor and aroma should be forward. Undried hops often result in flavors described as green, chlorophyll-like, grassy, or resinous. These flavors should be prominent; however, they should not dominate or come across as vegetal and harsh, and they should be in balance with other complex hop flavors/aromas, as well as yeast and malt character depending on the base style. An elevated polyphenol character is common in these beers due to the use of whole-cone hops, so a slight astringency is acceptable (though not required); and the beer should not be harsh, nor should the polyphenol character take away from overall drinkability and harmoniousness. Brewers should note the base style when entering as well as any other pertinent information in order to paint a picture of the beer for the judges; brewers may also note the varietal of fresh hops used; however, this is not required.
#27- Fresh Hop Pale Ales and India Pale Ales : 61 entries
This category is for all hop-forward, West Coast styles of beer made with fresh hops.
🥇GOLD - Breakside Brewery Fresh Hop Bayside IPA
🥈SILVER - Grand Fir Brewing Queens of the Cone Age
🥉BRONZE - Sunriver Brewing Fresh Hop Rippin
#28- Fresh Hop Hazy Pale Ales and India Pale Ales : 25 entries
This category is for all variations of hazy/juicy IPA and hazy/juicy pale ale made with fresh hops. Beers in this category are typically hazy to very hazy in appearance; however, judges should accept a range of haze from very low to very high.
🥇GOLD - Bend Brewing Keyboard Warrior
🥈SILVER - Von Ebert Brewing Fresh Hop Sector 7
🥉BRONZE - StormBreaker Brewing Set Freshies To Haze
#29- Other Fresh Hop Beers : 37 entries
This category is for fresh hop versions of any style not covered in Category 28 or 29. Common entries from previous competitions that would be at home in this category include fresh hop lagers, saisons, sour/mixed culture beers, Amber ales, summer ales, wheat beers and English bitters/pale ales, but this list is not exhaustive. The purpose of this category is to honor innovative uses of fresh hops in styles that are less aggressive in their hop character than those in Category 28 or 29. Judges should expect that these beers will present as more hoppy than the classic base style would normally call for/allow, and fresh hop character should be very evident. Winning beers in this category will execute a stated base style and integrate a fresh hop character that is pleasant and enhances the base beer.
🥇GOLD - Ruse Brewing: Red Rain
🥈SILVER - Deschutes Brewing Fresh Hop King Crispy
🥉BRONZE - Bend Brewing Fresh Hop Oregon Summer Ale