Skip to main content

       

  • THE BEER
    • Our Beers
    • Beer Finder
    • Demand OBH
    Stay
  • Order Online
  • THE BREWERY
    • About Us
    • Sustainability
    • Brewery & Taproom
    • Directions
    • Our Team
    Stay
  • SHOP
  • CONNECT
    • News on Brews
    • Contact Us
    • Request a Donation
    • Join Our Team
    Stay
  • EVENTS
    • Upcoming Events
    • Host an Event
    Stay
  • DEMAND OBH
  • VIEW CART
  • FOOD BLOG

Food Blog

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Brewer's Blog - Virginia Hop Harvest Amber IPA

Brewer’s Blog, Brewmaster’s Shadow Gail Brooks, 08192015:  The 2015 seasonal Virginia Hop Harvest Amber IPA entered the aging process this week.  Although the Brewmaster's lips were sealed as to the taste, the ear to ear grin on his face told us everything.  The beer was brewed on 10 August 2015 using fresh hops locally grown and harvested by Power’s Farm less than 48 hours earlier.  The green hop cones were a beautiful sight and the aroma was amazing.

Freshly harvested hops are known as wet hops.  Brewing wet hops presents many challenges and is a lengthy process but the rewards are well worth the effort.   Working with 5 fresh hop varieties consisting of Chinook, Cascade, Nugget, Zeus, and Southern Cross required expert knowledge and precise timing.  A detailed plan was crafted by the Brewmaster to ensure optimum “hoppy” flavor with an enjoyable malty balance.  Giant mesh bags were used to prevent the spent hop cones from clogging up the brew kettle and whirlpool during the brewing process.  The mesh bags were tied tight and long heavy strings were added to use as tethers, creating giant “hop” teabags. 

As dictated by the Brewmaster’s strict instructions, hop bags were added at specific phases of the brewing process to capture the unique characteristics of each hop variety.  After brewing, the hopped liquid was transferred to a fermentation tank for fermentation and aging.  The spent giant “hop” teabags were laboriously removed one at a time for recycling as compost.  Look for this season’s Virginia Hop Harvest Amber IPA in the Taproom soon.

Back to Main Blog

Recent Posts

  • Old Bust Head Peppermint Caramel Macchiato Stout Toffee-Bark
    December 20, 2022
  • Old Bust Head Bourbon Barrel Aged Gold Cup Tiramisu
    November 30, 2022
  • Old Bust Head Orange Vanilla Caramel Macchiato Stout Pumpkin and Honey Pie
    October 28, 2022
  • Old Bust Head Festbier Bavarian Pretzels
    September 30, 2022
  • Strawberry Crostata with Sky Meadows Blond Lager Crust
    August 17, 2022

Categories

  • Blog
  • Events
  • Brewer's Blog
  • From the Brewmaster

Join Our Newsletter

N

HOURS

CURBSIDE
PICKUP & 
INDOOR/OUTDOOR 
SEATING

 
MON - THURS: 3-8PM 
FRI-SAT: 12-9PM
SUN: 12-8PM
 
 
 

Upcoming Events

1/27
|
Wayne's Delicious Eats Food Truck 12:00PM-8:00PM
1/28
|
Talk of the Mountain Food Truck 12:00PM-8:00PM
1/28
|
Whiskey Dogs 5:00PM-8:00PM

View All Events

Brewery Tours *Suspended*

  • WED-FRI:  5:00
  • SATURDAY:  2:00, 4:00, 6:00 
  • SUNDAY:  1:00, 3:00

Old Bust Head
Brewing Co.

7134 Farm Station Road
Vint Hill, VA 20187
Ph:  540-347-4777

©2023 Old Bust Head Brewing Company. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Custom Web Design & Online Marketing by ImageWorks