Heavy Seas Beer is brewing up a series of beers that hit especially close to home.
The brewer announced Wednesday that on Oct. 20 they will release their new “Altimore” beer, the first of a series of beers crafted using a hop variety that is uniquely native to Maryland.
Dr. Ray Edigar discovered the Monocacy hop in the late 1960s, growing it for years in his garden.
But it wasn’t until recently that Edigar partnered with researchers at the University of Maryland Extension to test the plant’s DNA sequence.
That testing revealed the hop was “completely genetically unique to Maryland,” according to a news release.
“From what we can tell so far, the Monocacy hop grows very well in Maryland. Our hope is to continue growing it, share it with more local brewers, while we continue testing its commercial viability,” said Bryan Butler, Principle Agent in Agriculture and Natural Resources with the University of Maryland Extension, in a statement. “It will be critical to see if the Monocacy hop can not only thrive, but excel in crafting outstanding beers.”
Heavy Seas team members on Sept. 21 visited the Western Maryland Research & Education Center to watch and participate in the harvesting of the Monocacy hop.
Immediately afterwards, Heavy Seas brewed a batch of beer with the freshly-picked hops.
Chris Leonard, Heavy Seas Brewmaster and Director of Operations, said the Monocacy hop has “spicy, herbaceous, floral aromatics.”
This hop contributes to the scents of Heavy Seas’ new “Altimore” beer.
“For our inaugural brew, we chose to craft an Altbier, a traditional German beer style, using whole-flower Monocacy hops for bittering and finishing, which should provide a really nice aroma to this beer,” Leonard said.
Heavy Seas will release the “Altimore” beer on Oct. 20. It will be available exclusively on draft at the Heavy Seas Taproom, located at their Halethorpe brewery.
Heavy Seas plans to release more beers using the Monocacy hop in 2024, including packaged products that will be distributed to the broader market.
“Brewing with locally-grown Maryland hops is a special opportunity. If this hop continues to thrive and enhance the flavor of beer, and more Maryland brewers can use it, that’s pretty amazing!” Heavy Seas Brand Manager Caroline Sisson said in a statement.
Maryland PUblic Television will also air a segment about the Monocacy hop on Feb. 6, 2024.
Heavy Seas plans to continue experimenting with the Monocacy hop variety in future brews.
“We’re excited to see what else we can create,” Leonard said. “We plan to explore different beer styles and utilize the Monocacy hop in different stages of the production to test how it can be best employed.”
