As a hop-loving former-East-Coastian now-Seattleite, my bi-coastal proclivities occasionally pop up in the most interesting ways ‒ and notably, often when it comes to hoppy, delicious beer.
If you judged me by my beer tastes alone, you'd assume I was born into a mossy, water-logged PNW family who enjoyed hop-infused vitamins at breakfast. I'm a one-trick IPA pony with, quite literally, just one one-liner at the bar: "What's your hoppiest beer on tap?"
Yet if you judged me by ambulatory speed and/or competitiveness surrounding fairly nonsensical things (e.g., being among the first in line for Pliny the Younger; waking up at 4:30 am PST to partake in a random drawing for 40 quid "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" tickets), you'd see my East Coast origins as clear as a beer-water Bud Light.
So what happens when a surprise off-night is upon me ‒ and my two (now) favorite fresh hop beers are available for purchase?!?!
That's right. Fremont Brewing just released its Field to Ferment Citra Fresh Hop Pale Ale yesterday (September 28), and HOLY MOLY ‒ it's amazing. I may or may not have a text from J requesting a purchase of a second pint, quote "IT WAS TOO DELICIOUS."
But then ‒ drum roll ‒ there's Reuben's Brews' Amarillo Fresh Hop Pale Ale (released on September 26), and that's topped my fresh hop list ever since I learned that fresh hops were a thing (circa two-to-three years ago). My dad ‒ an arguable IPA aficionado (I constantly thank whatever DNA sequencing gave me my dad's appreciation of bitter, hoppy beer) ‒ still raves about the Amarillo Fresh Hop I brought to upstate NY for him.
So ‒ the hop-down.
To do this right and proper, you'd ideally concoct some kind of blind taste-testing, perhaps conduct a good palate-cleansing in between tastes. Usually one would need an additional participant for said blind taste-testing, preferentially someone who knew which brew went where and then could say "Ta DA, you liked THIS one the best!" upon your report of the most beloved sample.
As a single person in residence without roommates, it's not as immediately easy (or scientifically robust) to host an impromptu taste-test/hop-down for...one's self. Can you really create the (h)optimal experimental conditions worthy of such two great beers?
Solution: pour a bit of each beer into a pint glass previously stored in freezer. Note which fresh-hop goes with each glass (for some reason, I immediately associated Woodchuck Cider/Vermont with Reuben's), close one's eyes, and then switch around the two pint glasses until you really can't recall which one could be on each side. Take a small sip of each without seeking a peek (however tempting that might be), and repeat. And the winner is...
...Citra Citra Citra. Fremont Fremont Fremont.
After swearing by the Amarillo for so long (aka a year, perhaps two to three ‒ what still seems like a long time, oy), I will posit, for better or worse, I selected Fremont's Fresh Hop Citra Pale Ale as my preferred brew in the Hop-Down 2016 ultimate fight...to the...delicious beer of the evening.
And that, my friends, is what you do when (h)opportunity knocks.
Cheers,
N
If you judged me by my beer tastes alone, you'd assume I was born into a mossy, water-logged PNW family who enjoyed hop-infused vitamins at breakfast. I'm a one-trick IPA pony with, quite literally, just one one-liner at the bar: "What's your hoppiest beer on tap?"
Yet if you judged me by ambulatory speed and/or competitiveness surrounding fairly nonsensical things (e.g., being among the first in line for Pliny the Younger; waking up at 4:30 am PST to partake in a random drawing for 40 quid "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" tickets), you'd see my East Coast origins as clear as a beer-water Bud Light.
So what happens when a surprise off-night is upon me ‒ and my two (now) favorite fresh hop beers are available for purchase?!?!
HOP-DOWN. YO.
That's right. Fremont Brewing just released its Field to Ferment Citra Fresh Hop Pale Ale yesterday (September 28), and HOLY MOLY ‒ it's amazing. I may or may not have a text from J requesting a purchase of a second pint, quote "IT WAS TOO DELICIOUS."
But then ‒ drum roll ‒ there's Reuben's Brews' Amarillo Fresh Hop Pale Ale (released on September 26), and that's topped my fresh hop list ever since I learned that fresh hops were a thing (circa two-to-three years ago). My dad ‒ an arguable IPA aficionado (I constantly thank whatever DNA sequencing gave me my dad's appreciation of bitter, hoppy beer) ‒ still raves about the Amarillo Fresh Hop I brought to upstate NY for him.
So ‒ the hop-down.
To do this right and proper, you'd ideally concoct some kind of blind taste-testing, perhaps conduct a good palate-cleansing in between tastes. Usually one would need an additional participant for said blind taste-testing, preferentially someone who knew which brew went where and then could say "Ta DA, you liked THIS one the best!" upon your report of the most beloved sample.
As a single person in residence without roommates, it's not as immediately easy (or scientifically robust) to host an impromptu taste-test/hop-down for...one's self. Can you really create the (h)optimal experimental conditions worthy of such two great beers?
Yes. Or at least a second-rate experiment of sorts.
Solution: pour a bit of each beer into a pint glass previously stored in freezer. Note which fresh-hop goes with each glass (for some reason, I immediately associated Woodchuck Cider/Vermont with Reuben's), close one's eyes, and then switch around the two pint glasses until you really can't recall which one could be on each side. Take a small sip of each without seeking a peek (however tempting that might be), and repeat. And the winner is...
...Citra Citra Citra. Fremont Fremont Fremont.
After swearing by the Amarillo for so long (aka a year, perhaps two to three ‒ what still seems like a long time, oy), I will posit, for better or worse, I selected Fremont's Fresh Hop Citra Pale Ale as my preferred brew in the Hop-Down 2016 ultimate fight...to the...delicious beer of the evening.
And that, my friends, is what you do when (h)opportunity knocks.
Cheers,
N
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