The annual hop harvest offers a fleeting chance to use freshly picked, "wet" hops to create a one-off beer expression. While acting as a reminder of the seasonal and agricultural origins of beer, there are challenges with balance in such beers as each crop is unique, leaving the brewer with an intuitive rather than technical application.
Once again, the King Road brewers teamed up with Preston Valley Hops for theirs, picking from the bines in the morning and adding the wet Victoria hops, plus Cascade and Columbus, to the kettle that afternoon, later dry-hopping with Nugget and Chinook.
Many will expect a massively bitter, resin bomb, however the restraint here is welcome, as this light caramel, malt lead beer aims at drinkability rather than abrasiveness. An ephemeral light citrus and earthy character show with soft bitterness and subtle resin in a beer that’s made as much for celebrating the harvest, as celebrating the end of a hard day's work.
Guy Southern
Published March 22, 2021 2021-03-22 00:00:00
