Only Fresh Hops Beer Festival East Of Mississippi Returns To Sugarbush This Fall
A crowd favorite event returns to Sugarbush this year. The third annual Fresh Hops Fest is being held in the Lincoln Peak Courtyard on October 8th. From 12PM-4PM attendees can enjoy specialty fresh hop beer, live music, food, and fall foliage taking over the mountain. Beer enthusiasts love this fest as it’s the only fresh hops festival east of the Mississippi.
Vermont brewers from across the state come with their best fresh hop beer, and some serve up custom beers only for this event. Fiddlehead Brewing Company, Zero Gravity Brewery, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Mount Holly Beer, Black Flannel Brewing Co, 14th Star Brewing Co, Four Quarters Brewing, Goodwater Brewery, Weird Window Brewing, Outer Limits Brewery, Eden Specialty Cider and Champlain Valley Hop Farm will be attending. Fresh hop beer is only brewed during the early autumn harvesting season due to a very short shelf life, usually less than 24-36 hours. Beers brewed with fresh hops tend to have a distinctively “green” flavor profile, without the classic bitterness that hoppy beers like IPA’s often have. Most beer on the market, and typically the beer found in most fridges, is produced using hops that are dried just hours after harvesting, keeping the harvested hops fresh for up to 3 years. These dried hops impart a different flavor profile into the finished beer, as well as a varied alcohol content, than beer brewed using fresh picked hops.
Tickets are for those 21+ only, but non-drinkers, designated drivers, and kids are welcome to enjoy the courtyard atmosphere with no ticket purchase necessary. A ticket purchase includes a pour card received upon arrival for twelve 5 oz. pours and a commemorative Fresh Hops Festival 2023 logoed glass, all for $75. This is a rain or shine event, and tickets will only be available to purchase in advance.
There’s more to the weekend too with Community Day on October 7th complete with mountain activities, music, and more. A long weekend lodging deal offers an additional night for those looking to stay all weekend. To purchase tickets and learn more, visit the event listing. For more information on all things Sugarbush, visit www.sugarbush.com.
