Hoppy (fresh hop) fall!

For better or for worse, my beer tasting and consumption has been much more consistent (and ok, fine, plentiful) than my upkeep of this blog in 2016. Truly, I've meant to update it every once and awhile (eg, "Ohhhh, this Skookum Billing Waves IPA is sooooo good - I really should write about it the beer blog" "Hotline Bling? Can Cloudburst do any wrong?"), but inevitably, something else would distract me ("What - a GSP puppy - WHERE?!") and/or usurp my occasional bouts of free time (it might rhyme with Smogal Durban of Gisease).

I may or may not have run after this adorable GSP puppy on Cannon Beach.

Three things have prompted the return of the beer blog:

(1) The pace at work has slowed down for a few beats.

(2) Our new Director of Research Management asked me about my beer blog on his first day.

(3) It's FRESH HOP SEASON, the most wonderful time of the year in the PNW.

Yes, I've pre-ordered 12 bottles of Reuben's Amarillo Fresh Hop Pale Ale, my most favorite of Seattle-based fresh hops to date. I'd like to hit up the Latona Pub's Fresh Hop Festival on Thursday (and then of course the Pine Box and Brouwer's respective fresh hop events in early October). Fresh hoppity-hop-hops - oh how I love thee.

So what exactly is fresh hop beer? Outside of the PNW, it's not a term that one frequently encounters - I certainly didn't know about it until I moved to Seattle. I'm sure there's a much more technical definition of "fresh hop beer" that the true gurus of brew would give you - I will never claim such knowledge or expertise - but in sum, what makes a "fresh hop" beer fresh and hoppilicious is that a bunch of hops picked directly from the vine are used in the brewing process without additional drying or processing. Apparently there's a "24-hour rule" for fresh hops, such that the "fresh hop" title only should bestowed upon an ale if the hops used have spent less than 24 hours off the hop vine. Apparently fresh hops can be a bit wild and unwieldy for brewers (a Washington Beer blog article I read is super helpful in describing some of the challenges associate with fresh hops), but if done right, you get this amazingly delightful, bursting-with-flavor, and yes - FRESH - beer that makes your tastebuds want to do a hoppy dance. 

Fremont Brewing, one of my all-time favorite breweries, has introduced a really cool program this year, Field to Ferment. I've thoroughly enjoyed comparing the differences between the Centennial and Simcoe fresh hops thus far, and I look forward to sampling the Citra and Mosaic (though I fear I've missed the Citra this week). Amarillo remains my favorite hop (I think), but who knows what this fresh hop season will bring...

Cheers,

N

(Cloud)bursting onto Seattle's beer scene: No Recess IPA

Guys. I might have a new favorite IPA. I mean, favorite favorite. Potentially a new, all-time favorite IPA.

I've been a bit nervous to say anything about it, even though I've felt this way for a few weeks now. It's a little like when you've gone on a few stellar dates, but you haven't spilled to your best friends yet. As if by remaining mum, your excitement for this new unknown can't be ruined by reality's frequent letdowns.

Well, I can't keep it a secret any longer: I kind of love Cloudburst Brewing's No Recess IPA.

A number of us went to Cloudburst on January 8, its second official day of operation. Upon opening the door of its low-key, warehouse-style storefront, we were immediately greeted with a hoptastic medley of aromas and chatter ‒ the place was packed.

And soon it was very clear why. Upon my first sip of No Recess, I audibly moaned. "Ohhhhhhhhhh. This. is. a. really. good. beer."

Second sip. Moan number two, followed by "Guys, this is an amaaaaaazing beer. You need to try it. Now."

No Recess IPA, at 6.8% ABV and 65 IBUs, is jam-packed with hops (Chinhook, Centennial, Citra, and Amarillo) but remains an incredibly well-balanced, crisp and citrus-y pint of wonderment. And since it's a slightly lower ABV than a number of my other favorite IPAs (e.g., Fremont's the Brother), it's very, very drinkable. Perhaps dangerously drinkable.

Perhaps the amazingness of No Recess shouldn't be surprising ‒ after all, it's a first-class IPA lovingly crafted by the brewer who concocted few of my Elysian favorites (e.g., Dayglow and Space Dust). Yet each time I have it, whether it's at the brewery or on tap at this city's fine beer establishments, I'm once again blown away by No Recess.

Well done Cloudburst. You may have just upended my top IPA list. Or at least until I try your new hop-laden brew, Pigeonhole IPA, which apparently tastes like a grapefruit beer bomb...(yayyayyayyay). Welcome to the neighborhood and congratulations on a smashing debut on the Seattle beer scene.

Cheers!
N