Lompoc is so fresh and so clean, clean

For brewers and beer aficionados, this time of year is more than just jack-o-lanterns, fallen leaves and the beginning of school. The end of summer and early fall is a unique time when fresh hop beers can be brewed, as long as you’re in the right location. The brewers from Lompoc Brewery feel the results are worth waiting all year for.

That’s why tonight, New Old Lompoc on Northwest 23rd will be holding a release party for its three options of fresh hop beers.

Fresh hop beers are unique, in that their picking process varies from your average brew. When a brewer usually makes a beer, the hops are picked, then dried and processed before the brewing begins, developing an overall bitter flavor. Fresh hops are picked directly off the vine without the drying process, which then develops a distinct flavor from the amount of moisture, and is less concentrated, allowing for more flavor complexity.

“When hops are wet, they’re more subtle and spicy. People have compared them to the taste of melon, like honeydew or cantaloupe,” said Lompoc brewer Dave Fleming.

Lucky for Portland beer lovers, Oregon is one of the few places fresh hops can be obtained quickly and then brewed. Sodbuster Farms—where Lompoc gets its hops from—are within close proximity of our fine city, located in the St. Paul and Mt. Angel areas. And the close connections pay off, “If you lived in Iowa, you just couldn’t produce these beers, because you’d drive all the way to Oregon, and the hops would be dry by the time you got them back home,” Fleming said.

At Lompoc’s party on Tuesday night, attendees will be able to try the three different fresh-hop beers for the first time this season. The list of beers starts with the Crystal Missile Fresh Hop Pale Ale. This beer has a golden hue and a huge earthy hop aroma, allowing Lompoc to call it “the quintessential fresh-hop beer.” There will also be the Harvest Man Red, which is a malty and full-bodied beer with a deep red color. Lastly, the Ale-Conner Fresh Hop ESB will be poured, which is a copper-colored English-style ale with a piney bitter taste that balances well with a nutty caramel sweetness.

In addition to trying these beers before anyone else does, Lompoc will also offer free food. Some of the complimentary appetizers will include sausages, meatballs and what Fleming calls “all kinds of deep-fried goodness.”

With a selection of free food and three different fresh-hop beers that won’t be around for much longer (Fleming speculates that they might last till about Halloween), the Lompoc fresh hop beers release party might just be the perfect way to start your week.