Rogue Ales: One Ton of Hops

INDEPENDENCE, OR, September 1, 2010 —  Rogue Ales has begun our annual harvest of GYO Certified hops from the Rogue Farms Micro Hopyard in Oregon's Wigrich Appellation.  We honor our cultivation, growth, and harvest by using 5 different varieties and 2,200lbs of fresh hops from our 42-acre farm to create this year's Chatoe Rogue Wet Hop Ale.
                                                                 
Like any farmer sowing seed in soil, the success of our hops lies a great deal in the hands of Mother Nature.  Master Brewer John Maier had planned to add a sixth variety to the brew, but our Alluvial Hops did not produce this year.

After being cut from the trellises, the hop cones are separated and loaded into 250lb burlap sacks, driven 77 miles to the Brewery in Newport, OR, and immediately pitched into the brew kettle. Total elapse time: approximately 2 hours, 17 minutes.

Due to the massive quantity of wet hops used in the brewing process we create three small batches, and then blend them to form our Wet Hop Ale.

    –  Batch One August 23:  250lbs of Revolution Hops and 250lbs of Liberty Hops    
    –  Batch Two August 24: 500lbs of Freedom Hops and 250lbs of  Independence Hops   
    –  Batch Three August 26: 1,000lbs of Rebel Hops

Wet Hop Ale is brewed with 11 ingredients: Carawheat, Carafoam, and Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare & Risk Malts; Rogue Micro Hopyard first growth Freedom, Revolution, Independent, Rebel, & Liberty Hops; Pacman Wet Hop AleYeast & Free Range Coastal Water.

Wet Hop Ale will be available in select markets on October 1st, 2010.  Rogue remains dedicated to saving the terroir of Oregon hops and barley, one acre at a time, by growing our own.
 
For more information on Chatoe Rogue releases, Tasting Room hours, Hopyard tours, or overnight stays at the Hop 'n Bed, please contact the Rogue Department of Agriculture at 503.241.3800.