For the third consecutive year, the Washington Beer Blog and the Washington Brewers Guild are proud to present the Washington Hop Mob Roadshow. The series of events spans the course of 10 days, focusing exclusively on Washington-brewed Triple IPA. So far, just two events are schedule (below), but more events around Puget Sound will be announced in the coming weeks. Hop Mob kicks off on February 4, 2016.
In all, upwards of 30 of Washington’s craft breweries will participate in Hop Mob this year. So far 25 breweries have signed up to participate (below), but more will be added. One of the goals of Hop Mob is to celebrate the creative prowess of Washington’s breweries, which explains why it is limited to just Washington-born brews.
Less Hype, More Hops
The events showcase Washington-brewed Triple IPAs, perhaps the most boldly hoppy of all beer styles. Typically this style of beer weighs in at more than 10 percent Alcohol by Volume and features profound hop character, whether in the form of bitterness, aroma, or both.
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It is a challenging style, to brew and to sell, so many breweries shy away from Triple IPA. Hop Mob gives breweries a reason to brew it and most of the breweries involved only brew Triple IPA once a year for this series of events.
Hop character in beer degrades over time, so it makes sense to focus on locally brewed, less-hyped beers for this series of events. Fresh and local is the best way to drink hoppy beers.
Each bar participating in the Hop Mob Roadshow guarantees to tap into no less than eight Hop Mob beers, and to provide some sort of reasonable tasting format — taster trays, flights, small pours, and so on.
Interested bars and breweries should contact Kendall Jones.
About the Hops
Beyond the beer, Hop Mob is a celebration of hops and the relationship between hop farmers and brewers. To brew a good Triple IPA, brewers use a substantial amount of malted barley, which provides the elevated alcohol content. To balance-out the malty sweetness and give the beer its requisite hoppy character, brewers rely on substantial quantities of hops.
In Washington, hops are more than an ingredient, they’re a way of life. The Yakima Valley produces between 75 and 80 percent of the nation’s hop crop each year and some of the farms are operated by families that have grown hops for four and five generations.
Events (as of 12/15/2015)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH
Hop Mob Kickoff Party
BROUWER’S CAFE
3:00 PM – close
400 North 35th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
map
http://brouwerscafe.blogspot.com/
The largest selection of Hop Mob beers on tap. Available in six-ounce pours or 12-ounce pours. Also available in flights of three: a la carte, you pick which three you want.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH
Hop Mob Roadshow Event
BEVERIDGE PLACE PUB
2:00 PM – close
6413 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98136
map
The Hop Mob stops in West Seattle. Beers will be available in flights of 4-oz pours. Or order by the glass. Event runs all day, but typical “brewers night” festivities begin at 7:00. For details, follow Beveridge Place Pub on Facebook.
Breweries (as of 12/15/2015)
Aslan Brewing
Bainbridge Brewing
Bale Breaker Brewing
Cloudburst Brewing
Counterbalance Brewing
Diamond Knot Brewing
Dirty Bucket Brewing
Epic Ales
Foggy Noggin Brewing
Geaux Brewing
Georgetown Brewing
Hale’s Ales Brewery
Naked City Brewery
Populux Brewing
Postdoc Brewing
Rainy Daze Brewing
RAM Restaurant and Brewery
Reuben’s Brews
Silver City Brewery
Snipes Mountain Brewing
Standard Brewing
Stoup Brewing
Strong Arm Brewing
Tacoma Brewing
Wander Brewing
