A Public Fresh Hop Beer Study Is Underway In Oregon
Oregon beer drinkers can help inform an important new research project on “fresh hop” beers. Made with fresh-from-the-vine hops, these beers are a staple of Oregon autumns, and a new study will reveal what makes them taste so good.
Research on Humulus Lupulus is ongoing and constantly advancing the science of hops, but there has been precious little study on fresh un-kilned hops and their impact and usage in fresh hop beer. A new study conducted by Dr. Tom Shellhammer at Oregon State University aims to change that by asking the public to share their own evaluations of fresh hop beers at breweries in Bend, Eugene, Corvallis, and Portland.
The study dubbed ‘Drink Beer for Science’ is supported by Coleman Agriculture and Celebrate Oregon Beer. The goals are to look into the chemical and sensory elements of fresh hops. In brewing, hops are almost always dried for preservation. But breweries fortunate enough to be located near hop fields can take advantage of fresh, undried hops.
Working with five breweries and seventh-generation hop grower Coleman Agriculture, Dr. Shellhammer will evaluate the finished beer to see if different flavor and aroma compounds are present in beer made with fresh hops. Customers will take part in this study by filling out a five-minute 15-question survey on their phones at the participating breweries. These anonymous responses will help inform what Dr. Shellhammer discovers in his lab. It is the first study to take a look at this specialty of Oregon’s harvest season.
“Oregon breweries release hundreds of fresh hop beers each year, and customers get very excited to try these seasonal offerings,” said Dr. Shellhammer. “We’re excited to look at them more closely and see what causes the distinctive flavors and aromas customers love.”
The study’s organizers are calling on customers to visit one of the participating breweries, where they will receive a free four-ounce pour of fresh hop beer. Using a QR code, they can fill out the questionnaire and will receive a commemorative sticker for completing the survey. Participating breweries:
Block 15 Brewing (Corvallis). Fresh² West Coast IPA; available September 23 at their Southtown Taproom location only.
Breakside Brewery (Portland). Wanderjack IPA; available at their Milwaukie taproom only, release date TBA.
ColdFire Brewing (Eugene). The Henry West Coast IPA; available the week of September 8.
Deschutes Brewery (Bend). Independence Study IPA; available the week of September 8 at their brewery tasting room location only.
Drink Beer For Science Fresh Hop Study presented by:
Dr. Tom Shellhammer is the Nor’Wester Professor of Fermentation Science at Oregon State University, where he leads research, teaching, and outreach focused on beer and hop quality. His work has examined how hop chemistry and quality combined with brewing processed impact beer flavor. Over the past 24 years, he has published over 130 peer-reviewed and technical papers and given more than 300 presentations worldwide.
Coleman Agriculture is a seventh-generation family farm with deep expertise, robust and fertile land, and the latest in modern agricultural technology. The company’s agriculture is led through innovative thinking and modern practices
while enriching partnerships and maintaining family farm values. Founded by of the first families to settle at the St. Paul Mission, Coleman Agriculture continues to grow our vision through education and modern sustainable farming. www.colemanag.com
Celebrate Oregon Beer, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit, is dedicated to establishing Oregon’s reputation as one of the world’s premier beer regions. Celebrate Oregon Beer has the support of both the Oregon Brewers Guild and Oregon Hop Commission, and its Board of Directors is composed of brewery owners and hop growers.
celebrateoregonbeer.com.