Worthy Announces Grand Opening and Hop House Dedication on April 5th - A Special Tribute to Hopmeister Dr. Alfred Haunold

Worthy Beer Blast for Feb. 18, 2013

Bend, Or.  On April 5, 2013, Worthy Brewing will dedicate it's greenhouse and hopyard to America's premier Hopmeister, the venerable Dr. Alfred Haunold.

You may not know Dr. Haunold's name, but if you love craft beer, then you know his work. At the helm of the USDA-OSU hop breeding program from 1965 to 1999, Dr. Haunold had a guiding hand in releasing over 16 hop cultivars  and breeding lines to the public.

The affable, Austrian-born Dr. Haunold, who continues to reside in Corvallis with his wife Mary, gave us high aroma game-changers like Cascade, Willamette, Sterling, Liberty, Mt. Hood and Santiam.

"It's safe to say there will never be another public servant like Dr. Alfred Haunold," lauded Chad Kennedy, Worthy's Brewmaster. "Al will go down in history as 'the People's Hopmeister' who helped put the aroma in craft beer."

Worthy's "Hop House" will act as a satellite laboratory for the ongoing research at Oregon State University that is funded by Indie Hops. In particular, the Worthy Hop House will be used to select mutant varieties of aroma hops, study dwarf hop varieties (Worthy will feature a "low trellis" hopyard), and bank experimental hop breeding germplasm. 

Just as importantly, in furtherance of it's "Beertopian" vision, the Worthy Hop House will play a key role in Worthy's mission to enlighten the public on all things hoppy.  Worthy will schedule regular tours and provide a forum for volunteer gardeners to ply their craft.

Worthy is currently working with Oregon State on selecting approximately 50 hop varieties for planting in its low-trellis urban hopyard. The hopyard will showcase the public varieties released by USDA-OSU, as well as experimental and oddly-pigmented ornamental varieties.

"Lets face it," said Chris Hodge, Worthy's CEO. "The hop is a tough weed but the gods did not intend for it to sprout up from solid volcanic basalt.  We've designed and built raised beds to provide a nurturing home base for our noble flowers. We want to thank OSU - Dr. Shaun Townsend, in particular, Goschie Farms, Coleman Farms and Indie Hops for their expertise, without which we couldn't have pulled this off."

Immediately following the dedication, Worthy will drink up and party down in its bier garten to celebrate it's official "Grand Opening." The details have yet to solidify, but Worthy will provide live music, as well as a special brew to honor Dr. Haunold's amazing work. Worthy will be extending invitations to hop farmers, hop breeders, hop merchants, brewers and beer lovers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Hop on!

Cheers from the team at Worthy Brewing Company!

Visit our brewery, restaurant, biergarten and hopyard at 495 NE Bellevue Drive, Bend, Oregon. www.worthybrewing.com. 

Dr. Al Haunold, Hopmeister

Hop Seedlings

Don't just pour. Cascade!

Willamette

If it was any fresher, you'd slap us!