Retail Beer Releases (Week of 10/18)

Compared to the last few weeks this is a relatively slow one for new beers in the Denver area, but still a few seasonal releases have arrived.  One to look out for is Ska Brewing's new Hoperation Ivy fresh hopped ale.  This once-a-year brew was one of my favorites at the Colorado Fresh Hop Celebration last weekend and is part of Ska's push to distribute their excellent Local Series further outside of Durango.  Hoperation Ivy is a 100% Colorado beer made in state using Cascade hops that the brewery's employees hand-picked at San Juan Hop Farms in Montrose, CO.  It's supposed to be a limited release, so don't wait to pick some up.

• New Belgium 2° Below Winter Ale (Seasonal)
  
• Port High Tide (Seasonal)
• Ska Hoperation Ivy (New/Seasonal)
• Golden City Evolution IPA
• Rogue Maierfest Lager (Seasonal)
  
• Fort Collins Double Chocolate Stout (Seasonal)

2009 Colorado Fresh Hop Celebration Recap

The 3rd Annual Colorado Fresh Hop Celebration was held this Saturday at Falling Rock Tap House.  The bar teamed up with Deschutes Brewery to bring together 11 different fresh hopped beers from 10 different brewers (including a homebrewer).  As described in an earlier post, a fresh hopped ale is one brewed the same day that the hops were harvested.  That means all of these great beers are once-a-year treats.

All of the brews had fantastic aromas and were great examples of how fresh hops can enhance beer in a very different way than their dried counterparts.  My two favorites were the Fresh Hopped Gordon from Oskar Blues (also the People's Choice winner this year) and Tommyknocker's Bitter Brewer IPA (a true CO beer with the hops coming from Montrose). Another highlight was homebrewer Gordon Pencis' Falling Over Hops Pale Ale.  Deschutes was kind enough to overnight him the fresh Crystal hops he used and the end result was the equal of all the pros coming in second in the People's Choice voting.

As if all the great beer wasn't enough, Beer at Home (a homebrew supply store in Westminster) held a homebrewing demonstration at the event.  They continued the theme of the celebration by brewing a beer using fresh hops harvested from vines at Falling Rock.  It really smelled fantastic in the kettle and was the perfect addition to a great event.

Complete Beer List:

• Deschutes Hop Trip
• Full Sail Lupulin
• Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale
• Left Hand Warrior IPA
• Oskar Blues Fresh Hopped Gordon (People's Choice)
• Pizza Port High Tide IPA
• Ska Hoperation Ivy
• Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale
• Sierra Nevada Estate-Brewers Harvest Ale
• Tommyknocker Bitter Brewer
• Gordon Pencis Falling Over Hops Pale Ale (People's Choice Runner Up)