Hirakata Farms releases Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose beer to toast end of the 2016 Rocky Ford Cantaloupe™ season
Rocky Ford Growers Association reports near sell out of 4 million cantaloupes during the summer 2016 harvest
Rocky Ford, CO - As the 2016 melon harvest wraps up, Hirakata Farms is releasing a limited batch of craft beer called Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose, to celebrate another successful season. The Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose is available on tap to the public right now at CO-Brew in Denver. Gose (pronounced GO-zuh) is a light, crisp German-style beer with a slight saltiness to balance the infusion of sweet cantaloupe juice.
The specialty brew is expected to sell out as quickly as the Colorado grown cantaloupe that went into it, so beer lovers are urged to hurry over! This summer, Hirakata Farms Rocky Ford Cantaloupe™ was not only featured in the beer by CO-Brew for the first time, but on the lunch and dinner menus at The Preservery, and in a cheese and beer pairing class at Cheese+Provisions.
The 2016 harvest sent about 4 million Rocky Ford Cantaloupe™ melons to Colorado grocery stores, restaurants, school cafeterias and military base canteens. Hirakata Farms, a fifth-generation family-owned operation that also processes, packs and ships all the melons for the Rocky Ford Growers Association, grew about half of this year’s crop.
This is the also first year Hirakata Farms grew certified organic cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew. About 15% of Hirakata Farms’ acreage is now organic. Michael Hirakata says the organic techniques use similar practices to those his father and grandfather used in generations past.
As the cantaloupe season winds down, the pumpkin season is ramping up. Hirakata Farms is starting the harvest of thousands of Halloween pumpkins for groceries across the nation. The end of the 2016 growing season doesn’t mean a big vacation for the Colorado farming families who grow our favorite melons; planning for next season begins as early as November.
A recipe for a salumi and cantaloupe appetizer sits on the table at the Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose beer, cheese and Rocky Ford Cantaloupe tasting at Cheese+Provisions in Denver.
Bottling Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose at CO-Brew in Denver
Brewing Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose at CO-Brew in Denver
Brewing Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose at CO-Brew in Denver
Finished bottles of Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose ready for the pairing class at Cheese+Provisions, Denver.
Fresh Hirakata Farms Rocky Ford Cantaloupe ready to be added to the Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose at CO-Brew in Denver
Fresh cantaloupe, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Balsamic Glaze and Vanilla “34 Degrees” crisp. Pairing by Cheese+Provisions in Denver.
The Preservery included Hirakata Farms organic Rocky Ford Cantaloupe on their menu throughout September, including the Prosciutto e Melone sandwich on their lunch menu.
The Preservery's cantaloupe butter enhances the salty cheese and crisp cracker in a cheese pairing with Cheese+Provisions in Denver.
The Preservery’s cantaloupe butter, Driftless Cinnamon Sheep’s Milk Cheese, Chocolate “34 Degrees” crisps. Pairing by Cheese+Provisions in Denver.
Three lucky people won a gift basket with two bombers of CO-Brew's Worth the Wait Cantaloupe Gose, a fresh Rocky Ford Cantaloupe, a jar of The Preservery's cantaloupe butter, and a hand-picked sample of Pleasant Ridge Reserve Extra from Cheese+Provisions.
Washed rind Reading Raclette cheese with an Onesto Sea Salt Gluten Free Cracker. Pairing by Cheese+Provisions in Denver.
