Sierra Nevada Hosts Inaugural Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild Harvest Festival
(Chico, CA) — Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., known for its allegiance to whole-cone hops and love of hop-forward beers, is highlighting the revered ingredient at its inaugural Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild Harvest Festival. On Saturday, October 19, more than 50 craft breweries from across the country will fill Sierra Nevada’s hop field in Chico, Calif., to pour a selection of their beers that will include at least one of the following:
- Single hop beer: Showcases the nuances of only one hop variety
- Fresh hop beer: Uses dried hops that are picked, shipped and added to the brew kettle within weeks of hop harvest
- Wet hop beer: Uses un-dried hops that are picked, shipped and added to the brew kettle within days of hop harvest
- Wild hop beer: Ventures into the unknown with hops found untamed in nature
The festival follows on the heels of the annual fall US hop harvest, a much anticipated and celebrated time for craft brewers. Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild is a joyful salute to harvest and the brewer ingenuity it inspires. The festival also precedes the February 2014 rollout of a series of Sierra Nevada large-format bottles that will feature these very beer styles including its established Southern Hemisphere Harvest® (fresh hop) and Northern Hemisphere Harvest® (wet hop).
Festival tickets, on sale today at 10 a.m. PDT, include a 6-ounce commemorative taster glass and unlimited samples; a one-time stroll through tasty pub fare prepared by the Sierra Nevada Taproom and Restaurant, including produce grown in the two-acre, onsite garden; and the awesome tunes of Seattle-based band The Cave Singers. All ticket proceeds benefit the California Craft Brewers Association, which champions the success of the more than 330 craft breweries in the state.
“Craft brewers get an extra dose of inspiration when the hop harvest rolls around,” said Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada’s founder, “and we love the idea of seeing all of that hop creativity on display in one place. More and more, craft brewers are shaping the hop market, and this festival and its brewers will highlight why.”
Grossman has worked closely with hop breeders and growers since the late 70s; even before his first batch of Sierra Nevada beer, he was on the hunt for only the purest and finest quality ingredients. This past fall, Sierra Nevada was the first craft brewery to host the annual American Hop Convention. Now in its 58th year, the convention allows brewers to talk hops with those on the front lines. Their health ensures that of the craft beer industry, whose success merits a celebration like Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild Harvest Festival.
Sierra Nevada is currently finalizing its featured breweries and aims to share the list mid-August at www.sierranevada.com/SFWW where festivalgoers can find all of the event details.
Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild Harvest Festival overview:
- WHEN: Saturday, October 19, from 1–6 p.m.
- WHERE: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., 1075 E. 20th St., Chico, CA 95928
- TICKETS: $75 general admission. $30 designated driver. On sale Wednesday, August 7, at 10 a.m. online at www.sierranevada.com/SFWW. Must be 21 years or older to attend.
About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and the finest quality ingredients. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada spans more than three decades, with innovation emerging from both the brewhouse and sustainability initiatives. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Torpedo®, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis® and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at www.sierranevada.com.
