The lore goes that each year as soon the hop cones are plump the Sticky Fat Bear lumbers down from the hills to have himself a feast. He sits and eats all night long and disappears before anyone wakes. The kids chant his name in school yard folks songs, but not much is said about the Sticky Fat Bear in the rural nooks of american hop country.
When an old hop farmer in the pacific northwest was asked by a reporter:
"Sir, what do you know about the Sticky Fat Bear? Have you seen him? Are you missing hops?"
The farmer snapped this response:
"That Sticky Fat Bear is a ghost. He eats 'em all up. He takes what he wants and leaves us with nothin'."
Whether you believe in the the Sticky Fat Bear or not, we share an appreciation for the sticky hops. We brewed a wet hop beer in his honor. We had a farmer pick hops in northern california a couple weeks ago and fly them to us for a brew the next morning. We brewed what we're calling an American Dark Ale using all whole cone hops, still sticky from the vine. This beer will be an all draft release at our brewery. We're targeting next Friday 9/3 for a release. We'll have Sticky Fat t-shirts made from bamboo, some stickers and screen prints. All will be gone fast, as though it was never here at all.
Hopefully you get to check this beer out.
Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL
Much thanks to our friend Phineas for helping us bring the bear into sight
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