IN BREVE
- The winners of the fourth edition of Harvest Beers have been announced by Unionbirrai, with a focus on seasonal production and fresh hops.
- In the Fresh Hop category, first prize goes to TETTNANGER by the 50&50 brewery, followed by Extra Hop and Gaddina Young.
- Tipopils Harvest by Birrificio Italiano wins in the Wet Hop category, followed by Wet Hop Pils and Benny’s Crop 2025.
The winning beers of the fourth edition of Harvest Beers, a competition organized by Unionbirrai, have been announced. The goal is to promote brewing productions made with freshly harvested hops, focusing on seasonality, technique, and the relationship between breweries and their local territory.
In the Fresh Hop category, TETTNANGER from the 50&50 brewery in Varese takes first place. Second place goes to Extra Hop from Birrificio Italiano in Lurago Marinone (CO). Third place goes to Gaddina Young from Birrificio del Vulture in Rionero in Vulture (PZ).
In the Wet Hop category, the victory goes to Tipopils Harvest from Birrificio Italiano in Lurago Marinone (CO). This is followed by Wet Hop Pils from Birrificio Mostodolce in Vaiano (PO) and Benny’s Crop 2025 from Birrificio AcmE in Basiano (MI).
“The beers awarded this year have best interpreted the spirit of Harvest Beers, providing the consumer with a living and vibrant product, capable of transporting them directly to the hop garden,” states Simone Monetti, General Secretary of Unionbirrai. “These are beers that express the raw material in its most authentic form: green, floral, and resinous notes come together in a perfect balance between intensity and freshness.”
FRESH HOP AND WET HOP: TECHNICAL DIFFERENCES
The two categories of the competition reflect distinct ways of using freshly harvested hops. Fresh Hop Beers use hops dried within two weeks of harvest. Wet Hop Beers, on the other hand, involve the use of fresh, undried hops within 24 hours of harvest. The result, in both cases, is a seasonal product. A beer that exists only for a short period and that highlights the work of brewers and growers, putting the raw material in its most direct form at the center.
A SIGNAL OF SECTOR GROWTH
Production with fresh hops requires specific attention and technical skills. This is a point emphasized by Unionbirrai. “The success of Harvest Beers confirms the qualitative evolution of Italian craft breweries,” concludes Monetti. “The ability to work with fresh hops requires competence, sensitivity, and attention to the raw material. It is a way to give the consumer a full sensory experience that goes beyond beer as a beverage, becoming a story of territory, agriculture, and artisanal passion.”
