In both 2024 and 2025, Jake Watt, head brewer at Trap Door in Washougal, Washington, took home gold medals in the GABF fresh hop category for his beer, Fresher Than Fresh. Interestingly, the recipes for each of those beers was quite different—and the recipe for the 2026 edition that he’ll submit this year will see more changes as well. Fresh-hopped beers are a moving target, ephemeral in nature, and making the best possible beers today means using all the things—unkilned cones harvested that morning, Cryo Fresh pellets, flowable hop products, and even a touch of Riwaka here and there.

In this episode, Watt shares insights into the iterative changes and evolving ingredients in Trap Door’s medal-winning fresh-hopped beer. Along the way, he touches on:

• unlocking the best Mosaic character with Krush and Riwaka
• using deep-cut Cascade with additional thiol character
• flavor stability in fresh-hopped beers when hot-side hopping
• taking advantage of fresh-hop season to gain access to specific lots from certain growers
• focusing on Oregon-grown hops for fresh-hopped beers due to earlier pick windows
• mechanically chopping fresh cones
• controlling dilution and pH rise in fresh-hopped beers
• layering in character with fresh-frozen hop pellets
• sneaking smaller amounts of Cryo Fresh into beers not labeled as fresh hops
  

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

G&D Chillers
G&D’s new Elite 290 Micro-series is built for brewers who care about sustainability and performance. It runs on a natural refrigerant with near-zero global warming potential (GWP), has a compact footprint, and features variable-speed fans for efficiency. We’ve chilled beer for more than 3,000 breweries across North America, and with 24/7 support and remote monitoring, your cold side stays dialed in—day or night. Get the details on natural-refrigerant technology at gdchillers.com/podcast.

Berkeley Yeast
At the World Beer Cup this year: Gold for West Coast IPA; Gold for Session IPA; Bronze, Silver, and Gold for New Zealand IPA; Bronze, Silver, and Gold for Classic IPA. All these beers were fermented with one yeast: FRESH™ Chico, Berkeley’s low-diacetyl ale yeast.There’s something you need to know: Diacetyl is not just a pass or a fail. Yes, at high levels, it’s tragically bad. But even at low levels, it masks the good flavors. So if you want hop notes to pop, you need diacetyl to be ultra-low. These brewers trust Berkel ey Yeast for an ultra-clean fermentation because on the finals table, every little detail matters. And now FRESH™ Chico is available in dried bricks for as low as $88 at berkeleyyeast.com.

PakTech
This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.

Indie Hops
Oregon hop country is heaven to world-class lager varieties, and Indie Hops is proud to have introduced Oregon’s newest lager hop, Lórien, in 2022. Lórien is in a growing list of beers that have found their way to the podium and—more importantly—into the hearts of lager lovers across the country. Discover Indie Hops Lórien. (Side effects may include rampant festivity, sales bumps, and exceeded expectations.) Indie Hops—Life is Short. Let’s Make It Flavorful.

Midea 50/50 Flex
This podcast is sponsored by the Midea 50/50 flex—the industry’s first dual-compartment three-way convertible freezer. The 50/50 Flex is designed to flex with your life. It can convert to all fridge, all freezer, or half and half with just the touch of a button. Plus, with reversible doors and adjustable storage compartments, you can stay organized no matter your food-storage needs. The 50/50 Flex is also designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled spaces. So it’s perfect for your garage, man cave, or wherever you need a little more space. Maybe use all 20 cubic feet as a beer fridge! Check out Midea.com/us/ for more information on how to take your beer storage to the next level.

Briess Malting
Briess Malting has been supplying craft brewers with the highest quality base and specialty malts since the early 1980s. As Briess celebrates their 150th Anniversary this year, they are proud to remain a fifth-generation, family-owned company. They love to support the creativity and passion in craft brewing that results in amazing beers. All Briess malts are made in America, so you can count on a reliable supply chain. Barley is sourced from 300 growers in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming and Montana. Plus, technical support is available through their Center of Malting Excellence. With 150 years of malting expertise, check out why so many craft brewers trust Briess for their specialty malt at BrewingWithBriess.com.

Wyeast Laboratories
This episode is brought to you by Wyeast Laboratories. If you’ve brewed with our 1056 American Ale, you’ve brewed with the strain that helped build craft beer from the ground up. Four decades later, it’s still one of the most-used strains in the country, delivering the same quality and consistency. As legendary liquid-yeast providers, we celebrated our 40th anniversary alongside America’s 250th on the 4th of July, and as part of the celebration, we’re offering 10 percent off every order of 1056 American Ale scheduled by July 31 and shipped by August 30. Already have an order in that window? Don’t worry, your discount will be automatically applied. Here’s to 40 years of living culture and best-in-craft liquid yeast. Check out the anniversary at wyeastlab.com.

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