From McMenamins Breweries:
Smack dab in the middle of the action! Yesterday, seven team members were out at Sodbuster Farms celebrating an annual tradition – Running of the Brewers – a coordinated effort to get the freshest, most fragrant hops to McM breweries across Oregon and Washington in one day (in this case, before 1 p.m.). All of their efforts pour into McM’s fall seasonal: Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale. Thundercone debuts Sept. 18 and is available until supplies last.
Autumn is arriving and, with it, McMenamins Fall Seasonal,Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale, is back for another year. To celebrate the hop harvest in the Pacific Northwest, McMenamins brewers have decided to create a seasonal beer utilizing fresh, or undried, hops straight from the hop fields. Throwing caution to the wind and using seven different vehicles, over 1,000 pounds of fresh Brewer’s Gold hops are frantically delivered from Sodbuster Farms just north of Salem, Oregon, to 22 McMenamins Breweries all over Washington and Oregon, henceforth known as “The Running of the Brewers.” Each batch of Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale is brewed within hours of the hops being picked off of the vine. This is a daunting task but one that the McMenamins Brewers feel is well worth the monumental coordination involved. The resulting beer is an absolute fresh hop showcase.
This beer is so refreshing and hop-filled that you may think you are dreaming but, like Shakespeare’s play, Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale is in reality a short lived dream come true.
Malts: Canada Malting Superior Pilsen Malt, Franco Belges Caramel Munich 40
Hops: Chinook (Bittering), Fresh Brewer’s Gold hops (Flavor & Aroma)
OG: 1.061 TG: 1.013 ABV: 6.19% IBU: 56 SRM: 7
