Drink this: The Hop and Hound brew commemorates mascot hound
Published 1:30 am Friday, June 8, 2018
Last September I had the opportunity to go on a media tour of hop destinations in Yakima around the Fresh Hop Ale Festival. One of our first stops was at John I. Haas Inc., one of the largest hop farmers and breeders in North America.
The most impressive part of the tour is the Haas Innovations Brewery, a small-barrel brewing system that allows the company’s brewers to try out new hops in a controlled and repeatable environment. New and experimental hops get a work out on the system and give the Haas hop experts a true understanding of the flavor profile of each one.
During my visit, one of the hops Haas was previewing was HBC 438. The single-hop pale ale they had created with it was pouring and had notes of stone fruit, grapefruit, coconut and lemongrass. It was beautiful in its simplicity.
Fast forward a few months, and HBC 438 has graduated. Sabro, previously known as HBC 438, is the newest official hop to join the long list of lupulin-loaded flowers. Sabro’s heritage traces back to hops indigenous to the American Southwest, a rarity.
So far just a smattering of beers have been made with Sabro as the dominant hop, including Russian River’s Ron Mexico, a hoppy session ale. Marysville’s 5 Rights Brewing is making the first locally produced Sabro pale ale.
To celebrate The Hop and Hound’s fourth anniversary, R.J. Whitlow, 5 Rights’ brewmaster, brewed Charlie’s Groove, a hazy pale ale with loads of Sabro hops and a small amount of Citra. According to Whitlow, the beer has big notes of tropical fruit and hints of tangerine.
The name is an homage to The Hop and Hound owners Eric Schaffer’s recently deceased coonhound and bottleshop namesake, Charlie. Schaffer said he and Whitlow chatted last September about making a fresh hop ale this year and the subject came up of collaborating on the Bothell bottleshop’s anniversary beer. Schaffer collaborated with other local brewers, Justice Brewing, Chainline Brewing and Watts Brewing, on its first three anniversary beers.
“Our customers love 5 Rights beers, so we couldn’t think of a better brewery to make an anniversary beer with than 5 Rights,” Schaffer said.
Along with Charlie’s Groove, Whitlow also made a Blueberry Wheat beer brewed with blueberry Belgian candi sugar and a kolsch yeast strain. The beer has a slightly purple color, and is refreshing and subtly tart.
The Hop and Hound is celebrating its fourth anniversary Friday through Sunday with special beers, food trucks, music, giveaways and special Year of the Dog anniversary T-shirts.
Also on this week’s taster tray:
Tank Eukanot, SnoTown Brewing: The first in a new series from SnoTown Brewery. The Frank the Tank IPAs are brewed with identical grain bill and yeast, and dosed with a different hop each month. June’s version is brewed with Eukanot hops. Available on tap at the brewery.
Big Berries Berliner Weisse, Dreadnought Brewing/Crucible Brewing: This collaboration beer between the two Snohomish County breweries is packed with over 250 pounds of blackberries, raspberry, strawberries and blueberries. Available on tap at both breweries.
Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey, Skip Rock Distillery: This single-barrel release clocks in at just over 112 proof. Available in 750-milliliter bottles at the distillery.
DRINK THIS
Charlie’s Groove
5 Rights Brewing, Marysville
Style: Hazy pale ale
Stats: 6.2 percent ABV, 27 IBU
Available: On tap at The Hop and Hound.
From the brewery: The latest in our Groove series is brewed to commemorate their mascot Charlie the Coonhound. This hazy pale features loads of Sabro hops (formerly experimental 438) and a little bit of Citra hops over a grain bill filled with copious amounts of oats, wheat and barley to create a super-soft mouthfeel and drinkable hop-forward delight.
