The Annual Wet Hop Festival is designed to showcase as many beers brewed using wet hops as we can muster! It was Pliny, we believe, who first mentioned the hop plant, speaking of its qualities as a garden plant in Ancient Roman times. Early in the hop season Romans would trim young hop shoots off the plant before eating them, with this tender first foliage regarded as highly nutritious. Fresh hop
plants have always been, it seems, somewhat celebrated. The first documented use of hops in the brewing process is from the 9th century, with brewers rather using bitter herbs and flowers before this period to create a much sweeter beverage referred to as ‘gruit’. Hops have since become extensively utilised in brewing for reasons relating to their antimicrobial properties as well as flavour enhancements. The annual hop harvest falls within a very narrow window each year and hops reach their optimal flavour for only a few days. As a consequence of this urgency to harvest, hops are immediately dried so that they can be stored and used year-round. Undried or "wet" hops may also be used for brewing, however due to the limited availability of fresh hops and the requirement to brew within hours after harvest, this special form of brewing is far more unique. It is only the daring, dedicated and courageous brewer who commits to the challenge of teaming up with a hop farmer to tackle the logistical hurdles of brewing a wet hopped beer with the resultant product at its flavour and aroma pinnacle! The Wet Hop Festival is a celebration of these beers, their brewers and the farmers of the copious amounts of fresh hops contained within!
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We'll be back with the WET HOP magic in 2018! xx l o v e h o p s xx
