WNY Beer Week wraps up with what will hopefully be the first of many to come WNY Wet Hop Festival at Rusty Nickel on Sept. 28 (12pm).

The event, presented by the Hop Growers of New York and the WNY Brewers Guild, features exclusive wet hop beers specifically created for this event.

Wet hop beers are brewed using freshly harvested hops that have not been dried or processed. These hops are typically used within 24 to 48 hours of being picked from the field in order to provide a unique, vibrant flavor profile. These hops contribute a fresh, herbaceous, and often grassy flavor, and because they contain more moisture, they impart a subtle bitterness and more delicate aromas. They often have a fuller and more nuanced hop character with floral, citrus, pine, or earthy notes, depending on the hop variety used.

The event will feature approximately 20 beers from breweries across New York State, all brewed using fresh, locally-harvested hops. Guests can enjoy samples of each beer, purchase pints, and learn more about hops through experiences such as hop rub stations and interactive demonstrations. Hop growers and brewers will also be on hand at the event.

Participating breweries include:

  • Resurgence Brewing Company
  • Pearl Street Grill & Brewery
  • Big Ditch Brewing Company
  • Britesmith Brewing
  • Beer Kind Brewing
  • The Ridge West Seneca
  • Johnson’s Landing
  • Santora’s 1927 Brew House
  • Spotted Octopus Brewing
  • First Line Brewing
  • Rusty Nickel Brewing
  • Pod City Beer Labs
  • Strange Design Public House Brewery
  • Strong Rope Brewery
  • Torch & Crown Brewing
  • Kings County Brewers Collective
  • Talea Beer Co.
  • Brewery Ardennes
  • Nine Pin Cider Works
  • Indian Ladder Farms Cidery and Brewery

Rusty Nickel will open at 11am, though the festival does not start until 4pm. Hop sensory experiences will also start at 11am and run throughout the day, there will be a brewer’s panel discussion at 4:30pm, a hop grower discussion panel at 5:30pm and WNY People’s Choice Winner announcement at 9pm. Pints may be purchased anytime from 11am – 11pm, no ticket necessary.

“In a world where we are constantly bringing new generations into agriculture, we believe that this event stands as a great way to celebrate the ever evolving agricultural industry. The event hosts farmers that have farmed lands of New York for up to six generations,” the Hop Growers of New York said in a press release. “So come and celebrate in this resurgence of the New York hop industry as it once was before prohibition when New York was the largest growing region in the world.”

Tickets for the event are $35 and can purchased here. Tickets include one sample of each beer, souvenir stainless steel cup, and a vote in the People’s Choice Award.

Brian Campbell is co-founder and Brand Manager of the Buffalo Beer League, and writes the weekly Buffalo Beer Buzz column. If you have beer news that should be included in the Beer Buzz, Brian can be reached at brian@buffalobeerleague.com, on Twitter (@buffbeerleague), Instagram (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).