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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fresh from the farm

Rick Bonino

Big Barn celebrates its first hop harvest with a fresh hop beer festival Saturday.

Beers by Big Barn and six other local breweries will pour from 2 to 6 p.m. in the taproom on the Green Bluff farm, along with a fresh-hopped cider from nearby neighbor Twilight Cider Works.

Big Barn this week wrapped up the harvest from its new two-acre hop field. The yield of around 1,000 pounds will supply most of its hop needs for the coming year and also allow for some outside sales.

Fresh cones of four varieties – Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Willamette – went into a black IPA dubbed Midnight Harvest, with the citrusy, spicy hops peeking through the dark, roasty malt.

That will be joined Saturday by two other beers using Big Barn hops: Bellwether’s Luposlipaphobia, a red ale brewed with Cascade, Centennial and Chinook, and the Steam Plant’s fresh-hop version of its Cutter’s Pale using the Cascade and Centennial plus more homegrown Cascade and Tettnanger.

Badass Backyard’s Harju IPA was brewed with its own backyard Cascade and Willamette along with Chinook from a friend. Also on the fresh sheet are a Cascade/Ekuanot pale from Newport’s Top Frog, a fresh Cascade version of Hopped Up's Speed Shifter IPA and an offering from English Setter.

Beers from the breweries’ regular lineups also will be featured. Live music will be provided by Kirk Schmick and Scotia Road.

Tickets are $25 in advance at participating breweries, $30 at the door, which includes five tasting tokens and a bratwurst with sides. Proceeds support the Green Bluff Lions Club’s community projects for people in need, with kegs also being auctioned for the cause.