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Falling Rock Tap House threw its tenth annual Fresh Hop Festival on Saturday, celebrating the bitter and aromatic flower and the beers that are made with only fresh, not dried or pelletized, hops. Beers from 36 Colorado breweries, plus a few from around the country, were pouring; photographer Scott Lentz was there to capture the sights, if not the smells and tastes, of the hop-heavy happening.
See also: Lost Highway Brewing Opens Tonight in Denver — After Three Years in the Making
Hops are usually dried almost immediately after being harvested, since the flowers begin to decay and lose potency within 24 hours. But if the hops make it into the hands of brewers within a day of being picked, the resulting beers offers distinctive aromas and flavors not found in standard beers. This year, Falling Rock partnered with the Colorado Brewers Guild to bring enough enough beers that the event took over the entire bar, not just the front parking lot, as it had in years past.
Keeping reading for more Fresh Hop Festival photos.