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Ferment drops flurry of beers on Memorial Day Weekend

A hef, a saison, and more from a top Hood River producer

Ferment spring releases.
Ferment Brewing

One of the top west coast breweries is celebrating Memorial Day Weekend with a handful of exciting new beers. The brewery, set in the scenic Columbia River Gorge, is embracing the late spring holiday with five new offerings. Among them, a saison fermented with wild yeast collected from nearby Mt. Hood.

The other beers include a hefeweizen, an IPA, and Mexican-style lager, and a sour ale. One of the beers, the saison, comes in a refillable bottle. It’s part of the brand’s sustainability push and the result of a partnership with the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative.

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“At Ferment, our commitment to sustainability and community impact is part of our core, so we are proud to be part of the OBRC Bottle Drop network,” said Ferment operations director, Jenn Peterson. “Our Farmhouse series beers, which are best suited for glass, are now packaged in the specialty refillable bottles, which have a 95% lower carbon footprint and require 92% less energy and 82% less water than conventional bottles.”

The hefeweizen drops on May 26 and is inspired by the beers of Bavaria. The Calliope IPA is available now, made with a trio of hops and both bright and juicy on the palate. Next up, La Palapa, also available and a Mexican-style lager brewed with flaked maize that ought to do quite well in your backyard cooler this summer.

Lastly, the Guajava, an American Sour Ale made with guava and melon. This beer is available now too, at the Hood River headquarters and select spots in the Pacific Northwest. The saison is perhaps the most spring-like of them all, coming in at a refreshing 5% and full of verve.

Mark Stock
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
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