Every year, as summer fades, Colorado brewers shift gears to focus on one of the most time-honored brewing traditions—fresh hop beers. These brews are unique because they use wet hops, which are whole-cone hops that must be harvested and used within 48 hours to preserve their fresh flavors. This labor-intensive process requires brewers to plan months in advance, ensuring they are ready to take full advantage of the short harvest window. If you’re a fan of fresh hop beers, the Colorado Brewers Guild has curated a lineup of some of the best releases and events around the state.
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Bristol Brewing Company – Shattered Fresh Hop Pale Ale
In collaboration with Metric Brewing, this pale ale features Strata hops that are flash-frozen and shattered by hand for maximum flavor release. With a 5.3% ABV, this brew offers a fresh and lush hoppiness, available on draft at both breweries.
Call to Arms Brewing – More Like Bore-O-Phyll Fresh Hop IPA
A former World Beer Cup gold medal winner, this fresh hop West Coast IPA uses Cascade hops from Oregon, with additional dry hopping from Cashmere, Citra, Galaxy, and Amarillo hops. Expect bright citrus flavors and a dry finish.
Call to Arms Brewing – Janet Reno’s Dance Party Hazy Fresh Hop IPA
A flagship Session IPA turned Hazy IPA, now with the fresh hop treatment. Brewed with Strata hops, it delivers tropical fruit flavors like pineapple and peach, available on draft and in 6-packs throughout Colorado.
Comrade Brewing Company – Fresh Hop Superpower IPA
This draft-only brew, available September 11, is made with over 500 pounds of wet hops from Billy Goat Hop Farms. A two-time GABF Silver Medal winner, it remains a favorite among fresh hop enthusiasts.
FlyteCo Brewing – Hop is My Co-Pilot
FlyteCo owners took a five-hour hop-pilgrimage by plane to Billy Goat Hop Farm, bringing back freshly harvested hops to create one of the freshest wet hop beers on the market. Available at FlyteCo Tower.
Mountain Tap Brewery – Elkstone Elixir & Picking Fresh Hops
Mountain Tap Brewery has two fresh hop beers this season. Elkstone Elixir is a crisp pilsner made with local hops, while Picking Fresh Hops is a fresh-hop IPA brewed with hops from Billy Goat Hop Farm.
Mythmaker Brewing – The Embalmer
This West Coast IPA, brewed with fresh Amarillo hops, boasts flavors of sweet orange, lemon, grapefruit, and tropical fruits. It will be available on draft and in 16-ounce cans starting September 27.
Ratio Beerworks – Fresh Hop Antidote IPA
Ratio’s fresh hop version of their flagship IPA features Cascade and Multihead hops from Billy Goat Farms. Expect flavors of ripe grapefruit, peach, and pine with a dry yet juicy finish.
Fresh Hop Festivals
To sample multiple fresh hop beers in one go, check out these upcoming events:
- Freshtober Fest at The Empourium Brewing Company on Sept. 14
- Southwest Fresh Fest in Montrose on Sept. 21
- Joyride Brewing’s Fresh Hop Fest on Sept. 28
For more information on fresh hop beers in Colorado, bookmark the Colorado Brewers Guild’s fresh hop blog for updates and new releases.
