Tickets On Sale For Fourth Annual Southwest Fresh Fest at Billy Goat Hop Farm On September 20

MONTROSE, CO— Tickets are now on sale for Colorado’s marquee celebration of fresh hop beers at Billy Goat Hop Farm. Slated for Saturday, September 20, the fourth annual Southwest Fresh Fest will serve up fresh hop beers from across the Four Corners. Come for the suds, stay for the live music and dancing, local food, yard games, face painting, and a farm tour. 

All of the beers poured at this one-of-a-kind shindig will serve beers brewed with Billy Goat hops that come straight off the bine and go right into the brew— usually within 24 hours. This year’s stellar brewery lineup includes Base Camp Beer Works, Cerebral Brewing, Colorado Boy Pizzeria & Brewery, Elevation Beer Company, Green Mountain Beer Company, Horsefly Brewing Company, Glenwood Canyon Brewpub, Milieu Fermentation, Our Mutual Friend Brewing, Outer Range Brewing Co., Pomona Brewing Company, Reckless Brewing Company, Shelter Distilling, and Stronghouse Brew Pub— with even more to come. Festival-goers can vote on their favorite fresh hop beer for one brewery to win the Fresh Hop Trophy for the year. 

Two bands, Hypothetical Bluegrass and Cryin' Shame, will perform live at Southwest Fresh Fest. Three food vendors— Uncompahgre Farms, Qué Chimba Colombian Food, and Marchio's Grill— will be onsite. Guests can also browse sponsor tables, and jump on the farm tour to learn more about growing hops. 

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 day-of; $15 for designated drivers and people under 21; and free for kids under 12. Get tickets at southwestfreshfest.com. 

Country Lodge and Riverbend RV Park & Cabins will be offering discounts for festival-goers, and there will be discount vouchers for Uber rides courtesy of Billy Goat Hop Farm. There is also plenty of free on-site parking. Check out southwestfreshfest.com to get vouchers and learn more about nearby camping, cabin, and hotel options. 

Southwest Fresh Fest would not be possible without the support of community sponsors including Pomona Brewing Company, Maxfield - Peterson, P.C., RadCraft, AgWell, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Montrose Community Foundation, Montrose Anglers, Valley Food Partnership, Alpine Events, Visit Montrose, CropwoRx, Best Slope Adventures, Colorado Grain Chain, WKRP, and Friends of the Black Canyon. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Southwest Fresh Fest or Billy Goat Hop Farm. Download press images here. 

ABOUT SOUTHWEST FRESH FEST

Southwest Fresh Fest is the first and only fresh hop beer festival in the Southwest, hosted at Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose, CO. Attendees and brewers alike can enjoy fresh hop beers from across the region in a rad complimentary taster glass. There will also be a Pickin’ Party with live bluegrass music, local food trucks, farm tours, and games… not to mention the panoramic views from the San Juan Mountains to the Grand Mesa. Come out for the festivities and stay for the recreation, beauty, and good beers abound. Join the fun at Billy Goat Hop Farm and celebrate harvest at Southwest Fresh Fest.

Buy tickets, sign up to pour beer, or sponsor at southwestfreshfest.com.

ABOUT BILLY GOAT HOP FARM

 
Know your farmer, Love your beer. 

Billy Goat Hop Farm is the largest hop farm in the Southwest, providing premium quality, fresh, whole cone, and pelletized hops directly to craft brewers. Starting in 2017, they've grown to 32 acres that produce 7 varieties of craft hops. The quality of their hops have gained nationwide notoriety with two Cascade Cup wins. Owners and farmers Chris and Audrey pride themselves on using sustainable practices, supporting a strong community, and creating true relationships that strengthen the craft beer supply chain.  

Billy Goat Hop Farm is now open to the public with camping, tours, and ‘Fridays on the Farm’ events with live music and food trucks— a unique opportunity to drink beer made with hops grown on the farm, learn about hop farming and processing, and sleep next to hop bines with amazing views of the San Juan Mountains. Learn more at billygoathopfarm.com. 

Billy Goat Hop Farm Opens Down at the Hop Yard Campground, Announces Fridays On The Farm

MONTROSE, CO— After eight years in business as an award-winning hop farm, Billy Goat Hop Farm is opening its offerings to the public with camping, tours, and beers made with Billy Goat hops. Now guests can camp out at this idyllic location overlooking the San Juan Mountains, and catch Fridays On The Farm.

Billy Goat Hop Farm has been hard at work building the Down at the Hop Yard Campground and The Beer Barn. 

The private camp sites are nestled among hop bines along the trellis perimeter, each with a 28ft x 15ft parking area and an adjacent 28ft x 15ft area to set up camp. ADA hot showers, flushing toilets, potable water, and a communal fire pit are a short walk away. Guests have the option to book a tour (with optional beer tasting) during their stay to walk the farm and learn more about growing hops. 

The Down at the Hop Yard Campground is now available to book via HipCamp.

On Fridays from May 23 through October 3, The Beer Barn will open to campers and the public from 2 to 9pm. There will be beer from around the Southwest made with Billy Goat hops available, as well as the farm’s new hop water and Hop Drool hard seltzer. Fridays On The Farm will include rotating food trucks, yard games, and occasional live music. Children, dogs, and goats are always welcome. 

Find ongoing updates about Fridays On The Farm at billygoathopfarm.com/visit. 

“Before we even started the business, Chris and I dreamed of selling beer from the farm,” says Co-Owner Audrey Gehlhausen. “Families and friends laughing, dogs running around, cold beer, and surrounded by hops and mountains. We’re lucky to have found the wonderful community of Montrose to make this dream a reality. Not to mention the endless recreation around the Western Slope— work hard, play hard!”

Media inquiring about Billy Goat Hop Farm can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT BILLY GOAT HOP FARM

Billy Goat Hop Farm is the largest hop farm in the Southwest, providing superior quality fresh, whole cone, and pelletized hops directly to craft brewers. Starting in 2017, they've grown to 32 acres that produce 9 varieties of craft hops. In 2022, they began sourcing different varieties of whole cone hops from other quality growers, and then processing themselves in order to offer more varieties to their brewers.  

Owners and farmers Chris and Audrey pride themselves on creating genuine farmer-brewer relations and bringing true craft into their process. Combining traditional hands-on practices and state-of-the-art technology, they use less water and chemicals which transcends into a healthier ecosystem, soil, and hop plants. Brewers enjoy the bright aroma and subtly unique aroma profile imparted from Colorado's terroir, and the passion poured into every step of the process. 

Know your farmer, Love your beer. 

The Freshest Beers In The Four Corners: Southwest Fresh Fest at Billy Goat Hop Farm Returns September 21

MONTROSE, CO— Southwest Fresh Fest at Billy Goat Hop Farm, Colorado’s marquee celebration of fresh hop beers, returns for the third year on Saturday, September 21 with live music and dancing, local food, yard games, and a farm tour.   All of the breweries pouring will serve a beer made with fresh hops that will be harvested at Billy Goat in coming weeks.

Southwest Fresh Fest is an afternoon to remember that serves the freshest beers to be found in the Four Corners. Fresh hop beers, sometimes called harvest ales, are brewed with hops that come straight off the bine and go right into the brew— usually within 24 hours. That’s the magic of this fleeting crop, made even more special when you can taste a multitude of beer expressions at the place it was cultivated and harvested. 

Brewers pouring beers made with Billy Goat’s craft hops fresh off the bine at Southwest Fresh Fest are Base Camp Beer Works, Breckenridge Brewery, Colorado Boy Pizzeria & Brewery, Elevation Beer Company, Glenwood Canyon Brewpub, Horsefly Brewing Company, Lady Justice Brewing, Milieu Fermentation, Mountain Tap Brewery, Pomona Brewing Company, Shelter Distilling & Brewing, Ska Brewing, Strange Craft Beer Company, and Stronghouse Brew Pub. Participating breweries all serve at least one beer made with Billy Goat fresh hops, and festival-goers will have a chance to vote on their favorite in the Best of Show competition for the traveling hop trophy. For the first time this year, breweries have the option to bring a second seasonal beer— so there’s certain to be something for everyone. 

This year’s bands are Liver Down The River, a five piece band of musicians based in Durango promising a lively good time, and Derek Dame Ohl joining from Denver, who has been described as ‘warm butter on hot bread with blustering conduct.’

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 day-of; $15 for designated drivers and people under 21; and free for kids under 12. Get tickets to taste the freshest beers made with craft hops at southwestfreshfest.com. 

“Harvest is a crazy time of year, and it’s right around the corner,” says Billy Goat Hop Farm Co-Owner Audrey Gehlhausen. “We have a lot of good energy going into this year’s festival thanks to the awesome support from, not only our OG participating brewers, but also folks just opening their doors. And of course, we are grateful for our local community's ongoing love and partnerships.” 

The new Rathbone Hotel and Country Lodge will offer discounted lodging for out-of-town guests attending Southwest Fresh Fest. TelluRides will provide free shuttle rides to and from both hotels, the Montrose Recreation Center, and the farm. Find the shuttle schedule at southwestfreshfest.com.

Southwest Fresh Fest is made possible by community sponsors including  Pomona Brewing Company, Maxfield - Peterson, P.C., AgWell, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Colorado River District, RadCraft, Northwest Rafting Company, TelluRides, Valley Food Partnership, Alpine Events, and Visit Montrose. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Southwest Fresh Fest or Billy Goat Hop Farm. Download press images here. 

ABOUT SOUTHWEST FRESH FEST

Southwest Fresh Fest is the first and only fresh hop beer festival in the Southwest, hosted at Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose, CO on September 21st.  Attendees and brewers alike can enjoy fresh hop beers from across the region in a rad complimentary taster glass. There will also be a Pickin’ Party with live bluegrass music, local food trucks, farm tours, and games… not to mention the panoramic views from the San Juan Mountains to the Grand Mesa. Come out for the festivities and stay for the recreation, beauty, and good beers abound. Join the fun at Billy Goat Hop Farm and celebrate harvest at Southwest Fresh Fest.

Buy tickets, sign up to pour beer, or sponsor at southwestfreshfest.com.

ABOUT BILLY GOAT HOP FARM

 Billy Goat Hop Farm is the largest hop farm in the Southwest, providing superior quality fresh, whole cone, and pelletized hops directly to craft brewers. Starting in 2017, they've grown to 32 acres that produce 9 varieties of amazing hops. They also source additional varieties of whole cone hops from other quality growers, pelletizing them themselves to offer more options to their brewers. The quality of hops they produce has gained nationwide notoriety with two Cascade Cup wins. They were the first farm outside of Washington or Oregon to win this prestigious award from the Hop Quality Group in 2023, and then in 2024 became the first farm ever to win back-to-back years. 

Owners and farmers Chris and Audrey pride themselves on creating genuine farmer-brewer relations and bringing true craft into their process. Combining traditional hands-on practices and state-of-the-art technology, they use less water and chemicals which transcends into a healthier ecosystem, soil, and hop plants. Brewers enjoy the bright aroma and subtly unique flavor profile imparted from Colorado's terroir, and the passion poured into every step of the process. Know your farmer, Love your beer. 

Learn more at billygoathopfarm.com.

Billy Goat Hop Farm Wins Cascade Cup For Second Consecutive Year

MONTROSE, CO— In January, Billy Goat Hop Farm was named the first place winner of Hop Quality Group’s 2024 Cascade Cup for the second consecutive year. They are the first farm to ever win the award in back-to-back years. 

The Cascade Cup is the ultimate challenge for the best Cascade hops in the country. It’s an annual competition for growers all over the United States to showcase their best Cascade crop that is judged by an expert panel of brewing professionals in the Hop Quality Group who blindly pick a winner based on appearance, aroma, and hop analysis. Cascade was chosen because it is the most widely grown variety and not proprietary, allowing most farmers nationwide to participate.  

Last year, Billy Goat Hop Farm entered the Cascade Cup for the first time and won first place, making the farm the first outside of Washington and Oregon to ever win this prestigious award. 

“We are surprised, appreciative, and very grateful to win the Cascade Cup again. What an honor and an amazing industry to be a part of,” say Co-Founders Chris DellaBianca and Audrey Gehlhausen. “We share this victory with all of our fellow craft hop farmers across the country. I guess it’s time to start using craft hops in craft beer,” Gehlhausen adds with a smile. 

More than 50 breweries across the country have utilized this crop of Billy Goat’s award-winning Cascade hops, with their largest purchasers being Steel Bender Brewyard in Albuquerque, Wren House Brewing in Phoenix, and Tree House Brewing in Massachusetts. Although Billy Goat has already sold out of Cascade for this season, all of their varieties— including Chinook, Comet, Columbus, and Magnum, to name a few — are grown and processed with the same hands-on care, and now available for purchase. 

At 32 acres, Billy Goat Hop Farm is able to stay more hands-on in every aspect of farming and processing than the typical 500+ acre farm. Their smaller size also allows them to catch pests and disease early, dramatically decreasing the need for chemical inputs. Using multiple soil health practices, Billy Goat takes pride in creating a vital living ecosystem sustaining its plants, animals, and humans— while also conserving water. 

Learn more about Billy Goat Hop Farm and their craft hops at billygoathopfarm.com. Breweries interested in purchasing hops can contact billygoathopfarm@gmail.com and media inquiring about the farm and their recent Cascade Cup win can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT BILLY GOAT HOP FARM

Billy Goat Hop Farm is the largest hop farm in the Southwest, providing superior quality fresh, whole cone, and pelletized hops directly to craft brewers. Starting in 2017, they've grown to 32 acres that produce 9 varieties of craft hops. In 2022, they began sourcing different varieties of whole cone hops from other quality growers, and then processing themselves in order to offer more varieties to their brewers. 

Owners and farmers Chris and Audrey pride themselves on creating genuine farmer-brewer relations and bringing true craft into their process. Combining traditional hands-on practices and state-of-the-art technology, they use less water and chemicals which transcends into a healthier ecosystem, soil, and hop plants. Brewers enjoy the bright aroma and subtly unique aroma profile imparted from Colorado's terroir, and the passion poured into every step of the process. 

Know your farmer, Love your beer.