Fresh hop season is almost here, and while the Pacific Northwest may be synonymous with fresh hop beer, breweries across the country have opportunities to take advantage of this year’s harvest. In this edition, Executive Editor Jon Sicotte talks with Sam Pecoraro, Brewmaster at Von Ebert Brewing and Oregon Grower Relations Ambassador for the Hop Quality Group, about the 2026 hop harvest. We get into what growers and brewers are seeing in this year’s crop, and what the latest acreage numbers tell us about the changing hop market. Pecoraro shares his perspective on what makes this year’s harvest exciting, how brewers should approach fresh and wet hops, which varieties are worth watching, and how breweries can think beyond the traditional fresh-hop IPA. We also discuss newer varieties such as Krush and Thora, and why fresh-hop beer doesn’t have to be limited to breweries in the Pacific Northwest.
