Leader of the Pack: Little Wolf Fresh Hop IPA
Some beers begin as a passing idea. Others hang around long enough to demand a brew day.
After a trip to the US during fresh hop season last year, Head Brewer Abby returned with one thing firmly on the agenda: brew a proper Fresh Hop West Coast IPA. The kind that captures the just-picked intensity only possible when hops travel straight from the bine into the brewhouse.
“Fresh hop beers have this energy to them. The aromas feel brighter, greener, more alive. Once I tried a few done properly in the States, I knew we had to make one here.”
Little Wolf is the result, and our first crack at the style.
Why “Little Wolf”?
The name comes from the scientific name for hops: Humulus lupulus.
“Lupulus” translates to Little Wolf, which refers to the way wild hops climb and weave their way over everything in their path.
It felt like the right name for a beer built around hops at their most wild and expressive.
What Makes Fresh Hop Different?
Most beers use hops that have been dried and stored, but fresh-hop beers cut out the middleman. They are taken straight off the bine and are brewed almost immediately, while they’re still green and bursting with oils.
By skipping the drying process, the flavour profile shifts entirely. Instead of that sharp, punchy bitterness you get from dried hops, you get a rush of bright citrus, green herbs, and a resinous depth.
For our brewers, it’s a high-stakes race against the clock. There’s only a small window between harvest and brewing where the hops are at their peak, and when you nail it? You get an aromatic intensity that’s impossible to replicate. In Little Wolf, these fresh hops add a wild layer of complexity while keeping the beer balanced and precise.
From Farm to Tank
For Little Wolf, we teamed up with Hilltop Hops, a Brisbane-based hop farm.
The hops were grown locally, picked fresh, and delivered straight to the brewery while still packed with their just-harvested character. Brewing a fresh hop beer with ingredients grown in our own backyard made this release even more meaningful.
Two fresh-hop varieties made the cut:
Columbus
The backbone of the beer. Expect resinous pine, grapefruit peel, firm bitterness, and that slightly dank edge that defines a classic West Coast IPA.
Kracanup
A new hop for us, bringing bright citrus, subtle tropical notes, and a lively herbal freshness. Used fresh, it adds a vibrant green snap that lifts the whole beer.
Together, they create a layered hop profile that’s bold and unmistakably fresh.
Classic West Coast Energy
At 7.2%, Little Wolf is a classic West Coast IPA with a polished edge.
It hits the style’s hallmark notes, shattered pine needles and citrus rind, with a snappy, dry finish. Beyond the fresh-hop hype, it’s a masterclass in technical precision, balancing a lean malt backbone with a clean, focused bitterness. It’s a beer that reminds us exactly why the West Coast profile still rules in the craft beer world.
Want to Try Little Wolf?
Little Wolf Fresh Hop West Coast IPA is our Beer of the Month, available now:
On tap at The Kennel and in limited takeaway cans.
Fresh hop season doesn’t last long, and neither will this beer.
