Laurelwood Brewing Announces Six New Fresh Hop Ales

As hop farms begin their annual harvest, many craft breweries prepare for their one shot at a fresh-hopped beer for the year. Laurelwood Brewing Co. Brewmaster, Shane Watterson, prepares for six. The Portland brewery announced the release of two fresh-hop variants of each of their flagship brews, Workhorse IPA and Free Range Red Ale, as well as two all-new beers.

For Laurelwood, it isn’t just the rare chance to use fresh hops in their award-winning beers that makes this time of year so special; it’s the opportunity to bond with local Willamette Valley hop farms. The brewery works closely with Goschie Farms in Silverton, Oregon and Crosby Hop Farm in Woodburn to select the best fresh hops for its lineup.

“Fresh hop season helps Laurelwood grow its relationships with local farmers and it opens up a dialog about one of the most important ingredients in beer, which is a conversation beneficial to both of us,” says Watterson. “When farmers and brewers get to work together, the result is a hop that farmers are proud to grow and brewers are excited to use… And that results in a beer everyone loves to drink.”

Laurelwood Brewing Co. is currently serving its first batch of fresh-hopped Workhorse IPA at its NE Portland brewpub; the beer used a whopping 160 pounds of Centennial hops from Crosby Hop Farm. Later this week, the brewery will release a fresh-hopped Free Range Red with Crosby’s Amarillo hops and a new Kolsch brewed with Golschie Farms’ Willamette hops, with a fresh-hopped lager to follow.