Oregon's Hood River Hops Fest features fresh hop beers

Featuring one of the largest fresh hop beer selections in the nation, Hood River prepares to welcome thousands for its one-day craft beer festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014. Hood River Hops Fest showcases more than 45 fresh-hop beers from over three-dozen breweries for beer lovers to sample, along with local wine and cuisine.

Local breweries — including Full Sail Brewing, Pfriem Family Brewers, Double Mountain Brewery, Big Horse Brewing, Logston Farmhouse Ales, Walking Man Brewing, Solera and Everybody’s Brewing and Backwoods Brewing Co., as well as regional and national heavyweights — will be on hand to show off their seasonal offerings. With the light, fruity aroma of summer beers behind them and the heavy, bold flavor of winter ales on the horizon, many brewers look forward to the short window of time every fall when they can incorporate freshly harvested hops into their brews. The resulting fresh hop varieties are unpredictable, limited and loved by many.

“Northwest beer drinkers love their hops,” said Mike Glover, executive director of the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce, host of the event. “Hood River Hops Fest is one of country’s the longest-running beer festivals specializing in the unique flavor of seasonal, fresh hop beer. We look forward to welcoming people during the peak harvest season to savor all the area has to offer.”

For all the details, head over to the Hood River Hops Fest website.

Hood River Hops Fest Fun Facts:

Ranking of Hood River among U.S. cities* for number of breweries per capita: One
Anticipated number of fresh-hop beers: 45+
Anticipated number of breweries in attendance: 30+
Number of attendees in 2013: 6,000
Number of breweries within a one-mile radius of event: Four
Number of breweries within a 20 minute drive of event: Six
Number of days in which freshly harvested hops can mold: Three
Number of farms, wineries and fruit stands along the 35-mile Hood River Fruit Loop: 32

*Cities with more than one brewery.