Terroir (/Tear wahr/) was originally a French term in wine and coffee used to denote the special characteristics that geography bestowed upon them. It can be loosely translated as “a sense of place,” which is embodied in certain qualities, and the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the manufacture of a product. Soil type, geology, aspect, altitude, and cultivation are a few elements that have influenced the hops used to make this unique brew.

Hops or Humulus lupulus, which are a climbing vine, provide beer with its bitterness and pleasant aroma. Like other herbs, they are typically dried to preserve their qualities for many months. If however, those hops are used fresh or “wet” within a very short time after harvesting, they lend a unique flavor and aroma to the beer; a taste that can only be achieved once a year around the fall harvest.