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Our Green Hop Ale – brewed with hops grown in the Brewery gardens

First Pick is a beer dictated by the hop harvest.

Each year our brewers watch the hops growing in the Brewery gardens, waiting for the point when they’re ready to pick. Once the time is right, they’re harvested and used fresh in the brew within a few hours, capturing the herbal, fresh and lively character of the hops at their peak.

A light golden ale and one of the most distinctive brews in our annual beer calendar.


From garden to brewhouse

Unlike dried hops normally used in brewing, the hops for First Pick are used fresh from the bine.

Timing is everything. The growing season determines when the hops are ready and, once picked, our brewers need to get them into the brewhouse quickly to capture them at their best.

It means we can never quite guarantee this beer until the harvest is safely in – part of what makes its annual return rather special.


A taste of the harvest

Light gold in colour, First Pick has a fresh, herbal and lively hop character, balanced by Maris Otter, Wheat and Cara malts.

It's a beer that could only really be brewed at this point in the year – a snapshot of the 2026 hop harvest here at the Brewery.

Herbal • Fresh • Lively


Beer Details

ABV: 4.0%
OG: 1039
Style: Green Hop Ale
Malts: Maris Otter, Wheat Malt & Cara Malt
Hops: Fresh hops from our Brewery gardens
Flavours: Herbal • Fresh • Lively
Availability: Limited seasonal release
Contains: Barley & Wheat


Small Batch Brew – big flavour

Our Small Batch Brew series gives our brewers the opportunity to explore different beer styles, ingredients and ideas alongside our established range.

Each is brewed in limited quantities, allowing us to create something a little different while keeping it unmistakably Chiltern.

First Pick is Small Batch Brew #9 of 2026.