The Madison County Hop Fest is celebrating its 20th anniversary next week, and Empire Brewing Company, whose owner lives in Cazenovia and who is currently constructing a new farmstead brewery in the village, is making the festival’s official beer.

“Our concept behind the Hop Fest beer is to pay homage to pre-prohibition New York State beer,” said Empire’s brewmaster, Tim Butler. “Madison County was the hop growing capitol of the world during that era. I have found an indigenous hop that is known to be a wild, New York State hop from that time. We will incorporate that hop, along with my interpretation of what a pre prohibition beer would taste like to create the commemorative ale.”

Butler said he plans for the Hop Fest brew, to be named “Hop Trail Ale,” to be a darker brew, slightly darker than amber but lighter than a brown ale, with an anticipated alcohol content of 5.5 percent. It will be “malty but balanced” with the heritage hop carrying a medium body and a full hop aroma, he said. The beer will also include New York State-grown malted barley and crystal malts from Pioneer Malting in Rochester.

The Madison County Hop Fest Committee selected Empire to make its anniversary festival brew after soliciting numersou breweries throughout the state to design and manufacture a unique Madison County Hop Fest 20th Anniversary craft beer.

“The committee felt strongly that Empire Brewing’s proposal demonstrated a thorough understanding of what Hop Fest is all about, as well as a consideration for marketing the beer locally and beyond Hop Fest,” the committee stated on the Hop Fest Facebook page.

Empire owner and Cazenovia resident David Katleski said, “We (Empire) have participated in the Madison County Hop Festival for as long as I can remember. And as a former Hop King of the Fest it is both an honor and a privilege to have Empire selected to produce their 20th year anniversary ale. We hope to make a beer that emulates the characteristic and flavor of our region.”

This is only the latest in a number of accolades and achievements by Empire Brewing Company lately. In 2014, Empire brewed the official beer for the 2014 Great New York State Fair, and construction is currently underway for Empire’s farmstead brewery to be located on Rippleton Road in Cazenovia.

Empire’s Hop Trail Ale will be launched during Hop Fest weekend, Sept. 18 to 20, and served first at the Hop Fest Paired Beer Dinner on Sept. 18 at the Ye Olde Landmark Tavern and then under the Hop Fest’s craft beer tent on Sept. 19. There are also plans to purchase custom designed growlers of the Hop Trail Ale at Empire’s Syracuse brewpub location and bars and restaurants throughout Madison County.

The Madison County Hop Fest celebrates the past, present and prosperous future of the hop industry. Hop Fest weekend begins Friday, Sept. 19, with the paired beer dinner at Ye Olde Landmark Tavern in Bouckville, and continues on Saturday, Sept. 19, on the grounds of the Madison County Historical Society at 11 a.m. featuring guest speakers presenting programs on hop culture along with hop experts sharing their knowledge on brewing and growing hops. From noon to 2 p.m. there will be a “Taste of Hops” food and beer pairing event, and craft beer sampling from more than 30 breweries from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The weekend concludes with a guided hop kiln tour on Sunday, Sept. 20.

There is no admission to attend the Hop Fest. There is an admission fee for the craft beer sampling, Taste of Hops, paired beer dinner, and hop kiln tour. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit madisonhopfest.org.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].