The Actual Brewing Company has released its fall seasonal, Elektron amber ale, but this time around the beer is made using all Ohio hops.
“We support Ohio hop farmers because it makes the most sense,” said Actual Brewing owner Fred Lee . “Local hops means we get the freshest ingredients fast and our dollars help the local economy.”
The hops are sourced from Heartland Hops, a small farm in western Ohio near the small village of Fort Recovery. Heartland has been growing cascade and nugget hops for five years and will be adding Columbus hops this spring. Lee said the farm only has 500 plants with no plans of expanding until they consider themselves experts, and that farmer Andy Pax has said he wants “to master the small before transform[ing] into the large.”
Actual’s first batch of Elektron was wet-hopped with hops that had been picked mere hours before. This wet-hopped version of Elektron will hit Short North beer bars beginning tomorrow, but you can preview it tonight at Philco Diner or the Actual Brewing taproom.
“The wet hops add a layer of freshness that you just can’t get any other way,” said Lee. “It takes tons more wet hops to get the same results, they are full of water, after all, but the freshness and crispy beer flavor is unmistakable and a wonderful treat once a year during the hops harvest.”
