Key words and phrases you need to know about the 2018 version of WET.
6000 POUNDS: The amount of Citra hops that were harvested at Gasseling Ranches south of Yakima, Washington.
A GIANT DAMN TRUCK: Where the fresh hops were placed after harvest.
DWIGHT*: The truck driver who drove these hops from Yakima to our Brooklyn Center facility.
1571 MILES: The distance between Yakima and Brooklyn Center.
INTERSTATE 94: The main road he traveled. If you’ve ever driven that stretch between roughly Billings and Fargo, dodging elk, blizzards, and monotony, you understand why Dwight is a hero.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, 6 AM: The time the truck arrived.
ALL HANDS ON DECK: Brewing all 6000 pounds of fresh Citra hops before they degrade takes the tireless work of our brew team. A steady stream of naps, catering, and coffee helped them power through the process, and they wrapped up WET brewing a little before 11 pm on Saturday.
11 POUNDS: This is the amount of hops per barrel of WET. An average IPA has two pounds.
WET: The term “wet” comes from how these hops are handled. Typically, most hop cones (the flowers of the hop plant) are harvested, dried and baled, and ground into pellets which are somewhat stable and can be used throughout the year. Wet hops are undried. They’re harvested, loaded onto a truck, and go right into the beer. But there’s a catch. Wet hops are extremely fragile and the cones (flowers) need to be used quickly.
TOTALLY WORTH IT: Why would anyone go through all this trouble to make one beer? The answer is that hops this fresh are only available for a very brief window of time, usually late August or early September. We keep our schedules clear, move heaven and earth once they’re ready to get them all the way across the American West, then process all these undried, fresh-off-the-bine Citra hops to extract their singular, overwhelming hop flavor and aromatics. WET is a special beer, and you’ll know it the second you take that first sip.
WET will be canned and kegged starting Monday morning, October 1st. Stop by the Beer Hall Monday afternoon to drink the first run of cans off the line at 4 pm. WET starts hitting area shelves Tuesday. Drink it fresh and drink it now.
*We did not catch Dwight’s name, so we gave him a good truck-driving name. 10-4, Dwight. 10-4 forever.
