Oregon Beer Awards 2024 Fresh Hop Medal Winners
On Sunday, October 15th experts gathered to judge the 2024 Oregon Beer Awards Fresh Hop Competition in a double-blind, and triple elimination format to try and determine the best fresh hop beer of the season. Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals were awarded to 9 beers in 3 categories: Fresh Hop IPA or Pale, Fresh Hop Hazy IPA, and Other Fresh Hop Beer.
This year 50 breweries entered 132 beers into the competition, which was 4 less breweries entering then in 2022 but 4 more total beer entries up from 129. Hazy IPA and Pale decreased in entries, from 30 last year to 23 this year. Other Fresh Hop Beers was the growing category, up 9 entries over last year’s comp. This is primarily coming from the rise of West Coast Pilsners and other hoppy lagers growing popularity.
This year’s competition winners will receive their medals at the 2024 Oregon Beer Awards ceremony held next spring at Revolution Hall.
(^ images from the Oregon Beer Awards fresh hop competition judging session ^)
Fresh Hop Pale Ales and India Pale Ales
This category is for all hop-forward, West Coast styles of beer made with fresh hops. For the purpose of this competition, fresh hops are defined as newly harvested hops that have not been conventionally baled or stored. While the overall flavor of the beer will vary with the base style, fresh/green/wet hop flavor and aroma should be forward.
🥉BRONZE - Von Ebert Brewing: Fresh Hop Mosaic Volatile Substance
🥈SILVER - Breakside Brewery Fresh Hop Crystal Double Wanderlust
🥇GOLD - Sunriver Brewing Company: Bondi Fresh Hop Strata
Fresh Hop Hazy Pale Ales and India Pale Ales
This category is for all variations of hazy/juicy IPA and hazy/juicy pale ale made with fresh hops.
🥉BRONZE - Breakside Brewery: Fresh Hop Talus Logic
🥈SILVER - Ruse Brewing: Papyrus Iris
🥇GOLD - Ruse Brewing: Sediments of Memory
Other Fresh Hop Beers
This category is for fresh hop versions of any style not covered in Category 29. Common entries from previous competitions that would be at home in this category include fresh hop lagers, saisons, sour/mixed culture beers, Amber ales, summer ales, wheat beers and English bitters/pale ales, but this list is not exhaustive.
🥉BRONZE - Ruse Brewing: Dad Moon Rising
🥈SILVER - Wayfinder Beer: Altered State
🥇GOLD - Sunriver Brewing Company Fuzztail Fresh Hop Luminosa