Ferment Brewing & Oregon Wildlife Foundation Celebrate Herman the Sturgeon with High Five, Herman!

Hood River’s Ferment Brewing has partnered with the Oregon Wildlife Foundation to honor the legacy of Herman The Sturgeon with a special IPA called High Five, Herman! The beer release will take place in Hood River on Saturday, June 22, 2024 and will coincide with Herman’s birthday celebration down the highway in Cascade Locks at the Sturgeon Interpretive and Viewing Center at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery.

Herman the Sturgeon is a true celebrity of the aquatic world, estimated to be over 80 years old, weighing over 500 pounds, and measuring more than 10 feet in length. Herman resides at the Sturgeon Interpretive and Viewing Center, and is one of Oregon’s top visitor attractions. The Pacific Northwest is home to two species of sturgeon — white sturgeon and green sturgeon, which face numerous challenges, particularly habitat loss and declining water quality. The Oregon Wildlife Foundation’s efforts to protect and conserve wildlife  species, including sturgeon, are crucial for maintaining the balance of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and preserving the biodiversity that makes Oregon a special place.

High Five, Herman! was brewed using regional, environmentally responsible ingredients from mission-driven suppliers. Mainstem Malt, a company that works directly with farmers in the Columbia River Basin to supply Salmon-Safe grains, provides the malt for this beer. The hops, sourced from Crosby Hops in Woodburn, are also Salmon-Safe, meaning they are grown using watershed-friendly and climate resilient stewardship practices to protect water quality and wildlife habitats.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the Oregon Wildlife Foundation to honor the legacy of Herman the Sturgeon through this special IPA,” says Jenn Peterson, Director of Operations at Ferment Brewing, in a press release. “By using regional, mission-driven ingredients, we hope to not only create a delicious beer that protects the very rivers in which sturgeon live, but also raise awareness for the important conservation efforts of the Oregon Wildlife Foundation.”

Celebrate Herman’s birthday with fun, family friendly festivities at the Sturgeon Interpretive and Viewing Center in Cascade Locks on Saturday, June 22, from 10am – 1pm. Then enjoy lunch and a pint of High Five, Herman! at Ferment in Hood River afterwards.

Donations to support upgrades at The Sturgeon Center can be made at OWF’s Givelively site here.