This Friday and Saturday, September 28th and 29th, 2018, is the 15th annual Portland Fresh Hops Fest held at Oaks Amusement Park. This event will feature 60+ all Oregon made fresh hop beers. And I gotta give the organizers at the Oregon Brewers Guild credit for taking a stand on Fresh vs Wet Hops by clearly stating that this "Fresh Hop" fest will feature beers made with hops picked from the bine and used in the brewing process within hours of harvesting. They have even created an event hashtag, #freshhopsnotwethops. If you are confused on the controversy, my brief primer is that Sierra Nevada has been making an argument that "Fresh Hop Beer" is really made with freshly dried hops while "wet hop beer" uses undried hops. We already have a definition for beer that uses dried hops; it's simply called regular "beer." Sierra Nevada makes the argument that they are using "freshly" dried hops so they are not the same as regular dried hops. So does that mean you can market a freshly dried fruit, a fresh packaged candy, some fresh dried oregano? If so, then what system do we have to determine when it's still "fresh" or not? It's a stupid differentiation created simply for marketing so that Sierra Nevada can sell beers like Celebration and call it a fresh hop beer to increase sales.   Anyway ... more info on the Portland Fresh Hops Fest:  Admission to the Portland Fresh Hops Fest is free. Drinking packages cost $20 for a souvenir tasting glass and nine drink tickets in advance, or six drink tickets at the door. Advance admission tickets are on sale now at www.oregoncraftbeer.org/freshhopsfest; enter the code “freshnotwet” for $2.50 off each ticket through Sept. 27. Additional tasting tickets are sold onsite for $2 each or three for $5. Event parking is free. A beer list with beer names, styles and descriptions is available at Google Drive. Each brewery provides only one beer, so attendees are encouraged to arrive on Friday or early on Saturday for the greatest selection. The festival will also feature homebrew demonstrations from Portland U-Brew on Saturday from Noon to 5pm; a number of commercial vendors; and on-site food from Urban German Grill. Minors are not allowed on Friday but are permitted on Saturday until 5pm (Oaks Amusement Park is closed that day, but the train will be running from 12pm to 5pm for kids accompanied by adults). Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome. Hops are one of the four main ingredients used to make beer, along with grain, yeast and water. The hop plant’s flower, called a cone, is what gives beer its pleasant bitter flavor and aroma. Most of the United States' hop production takes place in the Pacific Northwest, thanks to  its rich soil, rainfall and mild air. Oregon is the second largest hop producing state in the United States, with most hops grown in the Willamette Valley. The Portland Fresh Hops Fest is organized by the Oregon Brewers Guild. Learn more at www.oregoncraftbeer.org and follow @OregonCraftBeer on social media, #freshhops. RSVP at the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/286752405476344/

INDIVIDUAL TICKET PACKAGE – GLASS AND 9 DRINK TICKETS – $20

This gets you 3 additional drink tickets if you purchase in advance.Glass and 6 drink tickets are $20 at the door.Use codefreshnotwet to save $2.50 per ticketAdditional tasting tickets are available onsite for $2 each, or 3 for $5.Online ticket sales end 9/27 at 5pm. Tickets available at the gate.FRIDAY – No Minors – sorry—————————————————–SATURDAY – Minors permitted entrance till 5pm, Glass sales til 7pm – Drink Ticket sales til 7:30pm

2018 BEER LIST IS LINK

2018 BEER PROGRAM TBA HERE

RSVP on FacebookVendors include:Food: TBD and Urban GermanMerchants: Brewed Oregon, Green Mountain Energy, Illustrated Playing Cards, Oregon Hop Commission, Timbers Army No Pity Van (Saturday only), Renewal by Andersen NW, Vacation InternationaleShare your experience! Use #freshhopsnotwethops #freshhops #oregoncraftbeer