Mashing-In News: Fresh Hop Season, Midwest IPA

GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!

Monday, August 25, 2025 — Gene Simmons turns 76 today!

From fresh hop fever and Mariners baseball tie-ins to the rise of Midwest IPA, fruit beer finesse, used-equipment lessons, and even a Wrangler x Coors Banquet fashion collab, today’s craft beer news shows just how wide the brewing world’s frontier really is.

Fresh Hop Frenzy: Grit & Grain Podcast Previews 2025 Season

Episode 157 of the Grit & Grain Podcast previews the 2025 Pacific Northwest fresh hop season, with the hosts cracking open beers and spotlighting the breweries and releases they’re most excited to chase as hops go straight from bine to brew. (Grit & Grain Podcast)

Mariners Close Craft Brewery Night Series With pFriem at Vedder Cup

The Seattle Mariners will wrap up their summer Craft Brewery Night series on today, during their home game against the Padres, featuring pFriem Family Brewers with special ticket offers that include a Mariners-themed pFriem pennant flag. (Washington Beer Blog)

Midwest IPA Finds Its Voice as a Style of Its Own

Midwest IPA has emerged as a softer, maltier counterpoint to the extremes of hazy New England and bone-dry West Coast styles—built on caramel malts, classic C-hops, and even Midwest-grown hop varieties—creating a balanced, approachable “middle ground” IPA that honors tradition while continuing to evolve. (Craft Beer & Brewing)

From Sweetwater to Sour Styles: Best Practices for Brewing With Fruit Purees

Modern brewers are embracing fruit beers with balance and precision, and as Sweetwater alum Nick Burgoyne explains, aseptic fruit purees have become the preferred tool—offering long shelf life, safety, and consistency—while still requiring thoughtful recipe design, dosage, and timing to ensure the fruit character enhances rather than overwhelms the beer. (All About Beer)

The Hidden Costs of “Cheap” Brewing Gear

Big Grove Brewing’s expansion highlights both the benefits and pitfalls of purchasing used brewing equipment. While the Iowa brewery saved money and avoided long lead times, it faced significant challenges, including mismatched fermenters, integration issues, and hidden labor costs, which required flexibility, retrofitting, and vendor support to make the system work. (Brewer Magazine)

Wrangler and Coors Banquet Launch First-Ever Western Wear Collection

Wrangler and Coors Banquet have teamed up for their first-ever Western wear collaboration, launching a 20-piece limited collection of denim, sweaters, and tees that celebrate both brands’ Colorado-rooted grit and heritage—complete with ads painted using actual Coors Banquet beer. (American Craft Beer)

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