Oregon Homegrown 2026 highlights “Deep Cut” Cascade Hops
A statewide collaboration celebrates Cascade hops, the variety that kicked off a revolution—with a new twist
Celebrate Oregon Beer has announced the 2nd annual Oregon Homegrown statewide collaboration that celebrates a single hop varietal each year. For the 2026 Oregon Homegrown, the featured hop is the iconic, extremely well known, but arguably old school hop variety “cascade.” But to make things interesting, this field to glass showcase will highlights the new and mostly unknown “deep cut” phenomenon that has brewers and hop growers re-evaluating everything they thought they knew about Cascade hops.
“Deep Cut” Hops
Each brewery has created a different kind of beer using Crosby Hops’ “Deep Cut” Cascades, an innovative version of the iconic variety left on the bine longer into late September to create more modern “juicy” flavors and aromas. Crosby farmers allow Estate Grown Cascade cones to fully mature and develop a higher total oil content (up to 3.0 ml/100 g or 2x the industry average Cascade oil). The result is a vivid evolution of Cascade bursting with mandarin, peach, and grapefruit, all layered over subtle pine and resin tones without any onion/garlic characteristics.
Oregon Imperial Yeast
Of the half-dozen national labs producing brewing yeast, two are located in Oregon—including this year’s partner, Imperial Yeast. With this special collaboration, drinkers can actually taste the “Oregon” in their beer.
The Hop That Built Craft Brewing
Cascade’s origin story starts in 1956 in Corvallis, Oregon, where USDA plant researcher Dr. Stan Brooks was trying to breed a mildew-resistant hop variety domestic brewers could use in place of European imports. Unfortunately, when researchers released the result of Brooks’ efforts in 1972, newly-named Cascades were too expressive for domestic lagers.
Its unmistakable floral and grapefruit character — clean, bright, and undeniably American — was nothing like the mild European imports. That turned out to be a stroke of luck. Within a few years, a small smattering of breweries on the West Coast opened, and they loved Cascade. Oregon’s beautiful new hop would send American brewing on a completely new trajectory.
“Cascade hops are one of Oregon’s most amazing treasures,” said Celebrate Oregon Beer’s Jeff Alworth. “They are flat-out one of the best varieties in the world. But even more than that, they had such a huge influence by helping kick-start American craft brewing and sending us down a road that would lead to all the hop-forward beers we now make.”
Participating Breweries and Their Beers:
Arbor Lodge Rarität HefeWeizen (citrusy hefeweizen), 5%.
A hefeweizen style beer dry hopped with Deep Cut Cascades, Azacca, and Cashmere to provide Mandarin/grapefruit flavors below the banana esters. Great with a zest of lime or orange.
Baerlic Why Rye? (rye lager), 5%.
Description to come
BearKat Cascade Berry Lager (wheat lager), 5.1%.
American wheat fermented with lager yeast and a light marionberry addition on the cold side, hopped with Deep Cut Cascades.
Block 15 Devil’s Staircase (Pacific Northwest pale ale), 5.7%.
Pacific Northwest pale ale featuring Crosby Deep Cut Cascade, Crosby Estate Comet, and Chinook.
Breakside Untitled (American pilsner), 5.3%, 31 IBUs.
Contemporary American pilsner with Crosby Deep Cut Cascade.
de Garde Deep Green (dry-hopped spontaneously-fermented ale), 5.5%.
Barrels of spontaneously fermented wild ale aged 3-5 years, brewed with Oregon malt, raw wheat and aged Oregon hops, then dry-hopped with ‘Deep Cut’ Cascade from Crosby.
Evasion Liberty at Risk (Anchor Liberty Ale homage), 6.3%.
An Anchor Liberty tribute APA/IPA with Deep Cut additions at 30 minutes, 45 minutes, whirlpool, and dry hop.
Ferment Forest Gnome IPA (Belgian IPA), 6.8%.
A unique and enchanting IPA featuring Deep Cut Cascade hops and a yeast strain little-known in these parts (Imperial Gnome
Heater Allen American Zoigl (traditional American lager), 5.5%, 30 IBUs.
American amber lager made with corn adjunct Oregon-grown Goschie Farms Promise malt.
Kings and Daughters Sentinels of the Sea (IPA), 5.7%, 60 IBUs.
American Style IPA featuring Deep Cut Cascade CGX, Crosby Estate Grown Chinooks, and Indie Strata.
Occidental Northwest Pilsner (hoppy pilsner), 5%.
Pilsner dry-hopped with Crosby Deep Cut Cascade.
Steeplejack Homeslice McGee (WC Pale), 5.6%
West Coast pale ale with Deep Cut Cascades and Mosaic hops.
Sunriver Green Label, Deep Cut Version (American pale ale) 5.6%, 40 IBUs.
Classic APA with Crosby Deep Cut Cascade T-90 and NUVO CGX, including Oregon-grown Goschie Promise malt for a clean and balanced palate with grapefruit, pine, floral, and citrus.
Von Ebert Predicting the Past (Australian XPA), 5.3%.
Aussie-style XPA with Deep Cut Cascade, Citra Cryo, and Chinook. Notes of Sweet citrus, complex floral notes, papaya, and baking spice.
Wayfinder Same Same but Different (pale mild), 4.3%.
A British-style golden mild ale with Deep Cut Cascades and Crosby CGX.
Where to Find Them: Tap Takeover Events
Oregon Homegrown beers will be featured at five tap takeover events across the state, giving drinkers the chance to try multiple collaboration beers side by side:
• The BeerMongers — Portland, May 27
• Bridge & Tunnel — Astoria, May 29
• TopWire Hop Project — Woodburn, June 6
• Bier Stein — Eugene, June 12
• River’s Place — Bend, June 16
More information at celebrateoregonbeer.com.
About Crosby Hops
Crosby Hops is a family-owned and vertically integrated hop grower, processor, and merchant based in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Sourcing from their fifth-generation farm with Estate Grown varieties and longstanding independent growers across the globe, the company provides discerning brewers access to a diverse selection of the finest hops on Earth.
About Imperial Yeast
Imperial Yeast was founded in 2014 with the goal to support brewers worldwide. Their passion for yeast and fermentation has only grown since they opened their doors in Portland, Oregon and in 2020, they opened our production facility in Philadelphia, PA to better serve East Coast customers.
About Celebrate Oregon Beer
Celebrate Oregon Beer is dedicated to establishing Oregon’s reputation as one of the world’s premier beer regions. Founded in 2024, the organization is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit. The organization has the support of the Oregon Brewers Guild and Oregon Hop Commission, and its Board of Directors is composed of brewery owners and hop growers.