Fall is here, which means it’s time for some hoppy harvest beer! Fresh Hop beer, to be sure! The 6th Annual Hood River Hops Fest will feature a cornucopia of more than 50 delicious brews from 28 Northwest breweries, including 33 Fresh Hop beers. In addition to the flowing suds, Hops Fest features live music all day, local food and art vendors, and a Kids Zone to keep the young ones happy. It’s a great downtown party with fun and frolic for everyone.

For those who don’t know, Fresh Hop beer is made during the short window of hop harvest every year, with straight-from-the-vine hops. Instead of the usual process of immediately drying and sending baled hop cones to cold storage, the fragile fresh hops are taken straight to the brewery and, in most cases, tossed into a brew that very same day. Fresh hops possess a whole range of aromatics, flavors and resinous textures that are often changed during drying. Northwest brewers have made harvest time their own Fresh Hop Extravaganza, and Hops Fest is the first place to check out all the special brews.

And new this year: More Tents! We have doubled the tent order for this year’s Hops Fest. Come rain or shine, we will have you covered.

The 6th Annual Hood River Hops Fest runs from Noon to 9pm this Saturday, October 3rd in the Downtown Lot (enter at 5th & Cascade) in Hood River, Oregon. Free admission; $5 mug purchase required for sampling; $1 tokens for 4-ounce samples. Minors welcome until 6pm when accompanied by an adult.For more info, visit www.hopsfest.com.

The Beer List:

Fresh Hop Beers:
Amnesia “Fresh Hoppalata”
Astoria “Hoptimus 2.0″ Imperial IPA
Big Horse ” Vernon the Rabbit Slayer” Imperial IPA
Big Horse “The Strange” Hemp Ale
Bridgeport “Hop Harvest Ale”
Cascade Lakes “Fresh Hop Pale Ale”
Deschutes “Fresh Hop Mirror Pond” Pale Ale
Deschutes “Hop Trip” Pale Ale
Double Mountain “Killer Green” Fresh Hop IPA
Double Mountain “Fresh Vienna ”
Ft George “Cohoperative Ale”
Full Sail “Lupulin Ale” ( Crystal )
Full Sail “Lupulin Ale” (Cascade)
Hopworks “Sodbuster” Pale Ale
Laurelwood “Hop Bale” Pale Ale
Laurelwood “Organic Goodness” Pale Ale
Lucky Lab “The Mutt” Ale
Lucky Lab “Das Moot” Pilsner
MacTarnahan’s “Fresh Hop MacTarnahans” Ale
New Old Lompoc “Harvest Man” Red Ale
New Old Lompoc “Fresh Hop Crystal Wheat”
Ninkasi “Nugg E. Fresh Wet Hop Ale”
Oakshire “Fresh Hop Harvest Ale”
Pelican “Elemental Ale”
Rock Bottom “Hoodwinked Integrity-Style Ale”
Rock Bottom “Octoberfist”
Roots “Hoppopotamus”
Rogue “Chatoe Rogue First Growth Wet Hop Ale”
Sierra Nevada “Harvest Ale”
Three Creeks “Santiam Harvest” Farmhouse Ale
Upright “Fresh Hop of Bel Air” Saison-style Ale
Walking Man “Fresh Hop IPA”
Widmer “Hopturnal Emission”

Other Beers:
Amnesia “Copacetic” IPA
Astoria “Bitter Bitch” Double IPA
Bridgeport “Hop Czar” Imperial IPA
Cascade Lakes “Kolsch”
Elliott Glacier “Gnarl Ridge Double Dry-hopped IPA”
Elliott Glacier “Belgian Espresso Stout”
Everybody’s “IPA”
Everybody’s “Common Ale”
Ft George “Divinity”
Full Sail “Nate’s Ubergehopft Fest Bier”
Hopworks “7 Grain Survival Stout”
Lazy Boy “Big Trouble” Imperial IPA
Lazy Boy “Red Head” Imperial Red
MacTarnahan’s “Humbug’r Winter Ale’
Oakshire “Overcast Espresso Stout”
Pelican “Doryman’s Dark” Ale
Three Creeks “Desperado Imperial IPA”
Upright “Four”
Walking Man “Hoptoberfest”
Widmer “w’10” Black IPA

Live Music Schedule:
Noon - 2pm : traditional German “Oompah” band!
2:30 - 4pm : blues legend Norman “The Boogie Cat” Sylvester
4:30 - 6:30pm : Geno Michaels and Soul City
7pm - Close: local rockers Speedqueen Underground

Hood River Hops Fest is a benefit for the Downtown Business Council of the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. Sponsors include Amerititle; Andrew’s Pizza; Bob Stone AutoCenter; CH2MHill; The City of Hood River; Columbia River Insurance; Crazy Pepper Cantina; Double Mountain Brewery; Full Sail Brewing; Gorge Networks; Hood River Bagels; Hood River Hotel; Hood River County Commission on Children & Families; Hood River Supply; Mt. Hood Meadows; Oregon Bounty; Oregon Brewers Guild; and Your Rental and Party Center.

Also be sure to check out the next two stops on the Fresh Hop Tastival series, sponsored by Oregon Bounty and the Oregon Brewers Guild:

Sat Oct 10: Oaks Park. Portland, noon-9pm
Sat Oct 17: Downtown Eugene noon-9pm

For more info on these events, visit www.oregonbeer.org/fhbt09.

Learn more at the Hops Fest Blog

When: Tues nights 8-9:30pm @ The pool in Hood River
Cost: $5 per game or season passes $25 thru 1/13 or $30 after that (10 games)

You can buy passes ahead of time at the Kayak Shed or when you show up!

Hood River Hops Fest October 4, 2008 from 12-9 PM.

The games are striving to be green with recycling stations everywhere, mandatory use of reusable water bottles, strict use of wind energy, and strict adherence to leave no trace wilderness ethics. If you can’t make it, be sure to catch it on Fox Sports Network.

For more information about the games, visit www.gorgegames.net. Registration begins March 21st.

We need volunteers to help run the tournament!! Please let Amy (541 490 7455) know if you are able to help with score keeping, shagging balls, etc.

THERE WILL BE A POTLUCK AND BBQ, during the tournament… and little something else that comes in a keg. BE SURE TO BRING YOUR FAVORITE APPETIZER, DISH OR BEVERAGE TO SHARE

Some rules:

-8 people total per team, 1 women required per team
-Boat length not to exceed 8′ 6″…creek boats, play boats and regulation kayak polo boats are great. No sea, recreational or touring kayaks please.
-Sign up’s due by Tuesday March 11th to Amy (541 490 7455), and team entry fee ($5 per person in due on Sunday March 16th).
-The evening of March 11th, from 8 -9:30 pm, there will be a scrimmage at the Hood River Aquatic Center for all teams wishing to play together before the tournament.
-There will be referees for ALL games…so be sure to brush up on the rules.

What to bring:
Kayak, PFD (required), paddle (if a Werner or Seven, please duct tape the edges), and a great attitude!!

Full faced caged helmets provided.

Get your team together for the…

St. Paddles Day Tournament
Sunday March 16th
11am-4pm

*Season pass holders get free admission into the tournament, otherwise, $5 per person.
*8 persons total per team, 2 woman required, and one woman on the court at all times.
*March 11th will be team scrimage night in Hood River!!
*Team Registration and admission due by March 11th.

Contacts:
Amy Besch 541 490 7455
Doug Archbald 541 490 7846

*Season Passes are on sale @
The Kayak Shed
$25 until 1/15/08
After 1/15 the cost is $30

What to Bring:
Kayak, paddle, and PFD.
Full faced caged helmets provided.

Click here for the official site

Tuesday (October 16th - December 18th)
8-9:30 pm
$5 per session…check out the season pass prices!!
Hood River Aquatic Center

Season Passes are on sale right now at the Kayak Shed for $25…get one now!!! This special price in only good until October 16th, after that the price is $30.

Bring a kayak, paddle and a PFD!! Full face caged helmets are provided.

We are always looking for sponsorship for the program and appreciate all the help that is provided at this time!!