It’s that time of year again, a favorite for beer lovers, when the most fleeting of beer styles appear for a very narrow window: fresh hop beer season! “Fresh hop” beers are those brewed with hops that were picked that very day, that have not yet been dried, which exhibit a very green, ultra-fresh character that you don’t find with regular (dried) hops. (Think of the difference between using fresh versus dried herbs in cooking.) Because hops are harvested only for a few weeks during late summer and early fall, these types of beers can only be made at that time—and are best consumed as fresh as possible.

And since 2010 Sisters has been hosting the annual Sisters Fresh Hop Festival, bringing together over 20 breweries to pour their various fresh hop beers at the town’s Village Green Park. That’s returning once again this Saturday, September 26, and will be taking place from noon to 8pm. From their website:

All ages are allowed in the tent, but you must be 21+ to purchase a mug and tasting tokens.

This event features brews from around the state of Oregon and their unique Fresh Hop flavors. All breweries that participate bring at least one fresh hop beer (meaning the brews are made with hops straight off the vine!).

Tasting mugs are required to taste the beer and are $5 per mug. Tokens are $1 per 4oz taste.

Breweries compete for the People’s Choice award – the coveted Golden Bunny!

And here’s their current list of attending breweries (which is subject to change):

• 10 Barrel Brewing – Bend, Oregon
• Base Camp Brewing Company – Portland, Oregon
• BridgePort Brewing Company – Portland, Oregon
• Burnside Brewing Company – Portland, Oregon
• Calapooia Brewing – Albany, OR
• Cascade Lakes Brewing Company – Redmond, Oregon
• Crux Fermentation Project – Bend, Oregon
• Deschutes Brewery – Bend, Oregon
• Gilgamesh Brewing – Salem, Oregon
• GoodLife Brewing – Bend, Oregon
• McMenamin’s Old St. Francis School – Bend, Oregon
• Portland Brewing – Portland, Oregon
• Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider – Portland, Oregon
• RiverBend Brewing  – Bend, Oregon
• Seven Brides Brewing – Silverton, Oregon
• Silver Moon Brewing – Bend, Oregon
• Smith Rock Brewing – Redmond, Oregon
• Sunriver Brewing – Sunriver, Oregon
• Three Creeks Brewing Company – Sisters, Oregon
• Three Mugs Brewing Company – Hillsboro, Oregon
• Wild Ride Brewing – Redmond, Oregon
• Worthy Brewing – Bend, Oregon

This is always an event I look forward to every year—can’t wait!