Driftwood Brewing photo
WHAT IS IT?
Fresh hop (aka wet-hop) beers are the holy grail for hop-heads! While styles vary, their main characteristic is the addition of hop cones so fresh, they’re still screaming. For best results, it’s bine to kettle in less than 24 hours.
DANGER LEVEL
Approach with caution—you’ll want them all!
STYLE STATS
Glass: Tulip or Spiegelau IPA glass
ABV: 5.0-7.5%
IBU: 30-70
Colour: Straw to copper
Body: Light and refreshing to full
Bubbles: Medium to effervescent
ORIGIN STORY
As one of the best hop growing regions in the world, it’s no surprise that fresh hop beers originate here in the Pacific Northwest! Sierra Nevada is usually credited with popularizing the style stateside in the late ‘90s. Here in B.C., however, that distinction belongs to Victoria’s Driftwood Brewery, whose Sartori Harvest IPA launched in 2009 and remains beloved and hotly anticipated every fall.
DRINK WITH
• Grilled salmon (or any seafood)
• Spicy curries
• Sharp or funky cheese
SO, JUST WHAT MAKES THE FRESH HOPS SO SPECIAL
Adding hop cones to the boil as quickly as possible helps preserve their delicate natural oils and aromas, which begin to degrade almost immediately after harvest. That’s what makes fresh hop beers so special—they are the occasion, not something to stash away for one! Unlike dried hops, fresh ones bring bold, punchy character: often grassy, citrusy, bright, and vibrant. The result is a beer that bursts with the essence of the harvest—alive and unforgettable.
SIX MUST-TRY B.C. FRESH HOP BREWS
Driftwood Brewing, Sartori Harvest IPA
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co., Green Reaper Fresh Hop IPA
Dageraad Brewing, Wet-Hopped Blonde
Yellow Dog Brewing, Alpha Dog Fresh Hopped Pale Ale
Cannery Brewing, Fresh Hop Extra Pale Ale
Barnside Brewing Co., Farm Fresh Hop IPA
