Most breweries that use fresh hops ship them in from major hop growing regions from around the world like the Pacific Northwest, New Zealand, or Germany. Some of America’s larger craft breweries like Rogue or Sierra Nevada are able to use their own estate grown hops. It’s usually the smaller and less widely distributed breweries that aren’t able to grow their own hops necessary to make a fresh hop beer. This is not the case for Brau Brothers.
Brau Brothers Brewing Company is located in Lucan, Minnesota, almost three hours west of the Twin Cities. Being a true family brewery, and it seems that nearly every family member is involved somewhere in their small business. This is the fourth year for their approximately 1200 hop bines and the second for their fresh hop ale. This crop of hops is enough for Brau Brothers to be able to produce about 150 barrels of their fresh hop ale for distribution throughout the state.
These estate-grown hops are used to make the Brau Brothers fresh hop ale, Hundred Yard Dash. This fresh hop beer is one of the more complex local fresh hop beers on the market. Hundred Yard Dash pours amber and produces an off white had with excellent retention. It gives an aroma of citrus peel, pine, fresh cut grass, and orange marmalade. This beer is all flavor. It’s balanced with subdued hop bitterness, caramel, orange peel, pine, and grass. Hundred Yard Dash is an excellent choice for a Minnesota grown, fresh hop beer.
Fresh hopped beers are an opportunity for brewers to express their individual styles with an ingredient that has a wide range of expression and a narrow window of absolute freshness. The fact that Minnesotans can enjoy a locally grown and locally brewed fresh hop beer is a testament to their commitment to craft beer and their support of local businesses.
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