(Portland, OR) – Autumn has arrived! Ground Breaker Brewing’s annual release of Squash Ale is just in time for the holidays. This unique beer is made with locally grown squash from the fields of family-owned and operated Love Farm Organics. Ground Breaker’s Squash Ale is typically released near the beginning of November but warm weather has brought an early harvest.

“Like our customers, we look forward to this beer every year,” remarked James Neumeister, head of Research & Development. “It’s a rich, deep amber beer with delicate flavor and aroma that is made in the spirit of the fall season. It’s a great companion as the days get shorter, colder and wetter,” Neumeister added.

Here comes the Squash Ale! Fresh from Love Farm Organics

Boasting over twenty-five pounds of squash per barrel, Squash Ale is crafted with a unique production process that makes it unlike their other seasonals. After being picked, the squash is sliced, diced, seeded, then roasted in a giant oven at Jensen’s Bread & Bakeries, a local dedicated gluten-free bakery.

“This is one the most unique beers we make, period. It’s also one of the beers we spend the most time on every year. From preparing the squash and seeds to the brewday and brewing process itself, all the way through packaging,” said head brewer Tim Barr. “It’s singular in a lot of ways.”

Ground Breaker’s one-of-a-kind seasonal is “triple-squashed.” Squash is added to the mash tun, boil kettle, and fermenter. Pumpkin seeds are toasted, crushed, and also added to the mash. The ale has a “wet-squash” addition to the fermenter which consists of squash that has been slow roasted for several days into a creamy squash butter. It is then finished with a gentle inclusion of cinnamon, nutmeg, and toasted coriander to complement the squash flavors and aromas.

Squash Ale will be released on draft October 14 in the Ground Breaker Brewing Gastropub. To celebrate the release, Ground Breaker will have a specially paired menu by Chef Neil Davidson. There will be five versions of Squash Ale on tap at the pub: standard, nitro, chai spice, squash spiced latte, and cranberry-orange. These kegs will be available exclusively on draft at the Ground Breaker Gastropub while supplies last. Squash Ale will be rolling out to stores in Oregon, Washington and Idaho following the release.

Last weekend Ground Breaker made their annual trek to Goschie Farms in Silverton, Oregon to pick up 150 pounds of fresh Meridian hops. Most of the brewery crew cut their Labor Day weekend short to take advantage of this once a year opportunity, and we thank them.

The fresh hop version of Ground Breaker’s Pale Ale is unlike anything else the brewery offers. Fresh Meridian hops add an herbal character and brings their lemon-candy characteristic forward in a far different way from brewing with kilned hops.

Fresh Hop Meridian Pale Ale will be available in bottles and on draft Wednesday, September 16th, in the Ground Breaker Gastropub. Bottles and a few kegs will be headed to retailers in Oregon and Washington later the same week.