The Search for Patagonia Hops
Tap Room Lead, Tyler Mais, spent six weeks trekking in Patagonia in search of hops. He brought back three rare varietals and we are releasing three beers at the Tap Room that have been dry-hopped with them. Here is his story:
We hugged the berm, walking between flattened beer cans and bits of trash. The road appeared endless. Dust choked the air as cars sped past, swerving to avoid pot-holes and decades of neglect. Drivers zig-zagged along the gravel road at breakneck speeds; screaming confidence as suspensions were abused and tires beat. I squinted at the midday sun as a truck banged its way past, flinging rocks and insults our direction. Our only respite from the dust were two Quilmes tall boys. My friend Logan and I were in northern Patagonia, walking six miles to a local hop farm. One with a particularly long history, almost thirty-six years of growing the precious green delights. Three family generations had cultivated the land, helping lead the craft movement in Argentina. I had contacted Lúpulos Patagónicos months before our journey.
Seeking to tie a few of my passions together into one epic trip.
With the promise of trekking, asado, and copious amounts of Argentine beer and wine; I had successfully pestered my long-time college friend Logan to join the fun. In addition to his skills as an outdoorsman, Logan happens to be an excellent photographer and fluent in Spanish. Together, we met in Santiago and began trekking through central Chile. Already the trip had proved wild, throwing many challenges our way. So far we had fought off wild dogs and aggressive cows, contracted giardia from a stream near Coyhaique, climbed through the magical Cerro Castillo peaks and forests, eaten more empanadas than I care to admit, and drank endless bottles of Carménère. Being what some would call, “Seasoned drinkers”, we had consumed our fair share of mediocre beer thus far. However, the cities of Bariloche and El Bolsón provided some exceptional variations and warm hospitality. The trip had satisfied my longing for Argentina, my favorite country in the world. But there remained one item to check off the list; to find and bring back, rare Patagonia hops to Avery Brewing Co.
After months of correspondence and a bit of luck, we were finally going to meet the good people of Lúpulos Patagónicos (LP). A bend in the road revealed thousands of twirling bines, stretching toward the heavens. I felt tiny among these blossomed bines. Like Jack, staring up at a field of bright beanstalks. Upon arrival, we exchanged double-cheeked kisses and formal introductions with the Leibrecht family. We were delighted to meet Andres; the grandson of founder Don Alfredo and third generation hop farmer. Andres spoke flawless English as he guided us on a tour of the fields and facilities.
Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, this farm is situated north of El Bolsón, at the foot of Cerro Piltriquitrón. Notoriously strong winds give a unique quality to LP that set it apart from its neighboring farms. Swirling winds sweep down the mountaintops, mixing and blending hop varieties naturally, leading to the wild cross-pollination of hop species. “We want to be a German-sized farm, with American technology,” exclaimed Andres, as we strolled between rows of bright green.
He pridefully displayed their massively fragrant Cascades, resinous Nuggets and bright Willamette hops. All the varieties were impressive, both in size and aroma, but I could sense Andres was saving the best for last. A sheepish grin appeared as he asked, “would you like to see something…strange?”. I giggled like a child awaiting a birthday present. He knew my answer.
We wandered nonchalantly to a decaying tree stump, where Andres explained, they had found something…bizarre. My eyes grew wide as Andres gestured toward a small row of hop bines.
“These…we call Patagonia Red”.
I rubbed my eyes, not believing the vibrant color glowing before me. The cones were glowing RED in the sunshine! I moved closer to discover what looked like hundreds of ripening strawberries clinging to their green bines. They stood out like mini fire hydrants in a forest. A hop rub revealed notes of melon and ripening strawberries! Upon further questioning, only a single batch of beer has ever been made with these remarkable hops. A dry hopped lager by a local brewery in Bariloche sold out almost immediately. The beer was so popular that tragically, the hop farmers never tasted their new discovery.
Research is currently being conducted to determine why these hops change color. But despite their wild appearance, it is clear these hops are special. The rest of the day Andres and his father Klaus provided wonderful hospitality. As only Argentinians can. We wandered their fields, smelling, laughing and contemplating the future of our industries. It was a truly wonderful experience.
Logan and I returned stateside weeks later. A few pounds heavier and with livers throbbing, we had rekindled our lifelong friendship and found something special. In the months that followed, Andres and I continued to work together, shipping several varieties of wild and experimental hops to Avery.
I am proud to announce the release of three small-batch rare beers using varieties from Lúpulos Patagónicos. We will release a funky Patagonia Red Sour, a dry-hopped Cascade Brut IPA and a hoppy brown ale with Nugget hops. It took many months and the gracious generosity of the LP family to bring you these rare beers. Of which we have a very limited amount. I hope you enjoy the fruits of their labor. We at Avery strive to always push the innovation of our craft and bring you the best possible product. Whether we
are traveling the globe, or just climbing 14ers in Colorado; beer is never far from our minds.
For us, it will always be Beer First, Everything Else Will Follow.
Happy Wandering,
Tyler Mais
