Wild Leap’s Three Harvest Double IPA returns with a fall crop of hydroponically grown Cascade hops, fresh off the bines. Three Harvest is Wild Leap’s collaboration with a hydroponic hop farm, Extreme Green Farms in Auburn, Alabama. The fall release of Three Harvest Double IPA (8.2%) is on shelves now.
Three Harvest is an off-season Fresh Hop Double IPA. Named for the amount of harvests the hydroponic crops are capable of producing each year, the Cascade hops featured in this beer are harvested just days before the ale is brewed. Timing with each harvest is critical, as the hops need to be harvested, transported and introduced to the kettle as soon as possible.
“Working with hydroponic hops is a fun challenge for us. We’re learning the ins and outs of the hydroponic hop world from someone extremely knowledgeable in the craft,” said Chris Elliott, Wild Leap’s chief brewing officer. “Ralf DuToit, head hop farmer at Extreme Green Farms, is a hydroponic guru. Working alongside him on Three Harvest, we’ve gained hard-to-find experience using fresh hops and we’ve only just gotten started.”
Wild Leap’s collaboration with Extreme Green Farms began over a year ago. DuToit approached the Wild Leap crew with a hop project he had been working on – growing hydroponic hops – in hopes they would be up for experimenting with a small batch. With so few hydroponic hop farms in the U.S., the Wild Leap crew jumped on the opportunity and hit the ground running.
Three Harvest Double IPA fall release boasts floral and grapefruit notes for a soft bitterness and pillowy mouthfeel.
Three Harvest is available today at LaGrange, Georgia-based Wild Leap for curbside pickup in six-packs and crowlers as well as for sale at your favorite retailers throughout Georgia. The summer release of Three Harvest Double IPA will be available for a limited time.
