Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Denver, Colorado USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker

Damn! I’ve disliked all the Great Divide beers I’ve had so I didn’t think this would be any different seeing as we had an Expo, Hopslam and Double Trouble before this beer. (Spaced 30 minutes apart.) Pours a light orange with light, white head. Aroma is grassy but more malty and slight hop driven. Taste, GRASS! Love this flavor and never had it this pronounced in a beer. Awesome palate with some great malt/hop/lemon citrus flavors. Overall, I love this beer and was shocked it was 3+ months old! Can’t wait to try this one next year super fresh. I’ll have to reconsider Great Divide in the future after this beer.

Pours a clear golden body with a big, creamy white head. Sweet malts below a nice, grassy hop. Dry, resin-y finish. Not overly bitter - pleasant.

Bomber from Bierkoning. Pours clear deep amber with a good off white head leaving some lacing. Aroma is grassy, citric, sweet, malty, caramel, spicy, piny and soapy. Flavor is as aroma, very pleasant and "round" on the palate. Also very nice bitterness with lots of grass tones; fresh fresh fresh. Finishes malty, grassy and bitter.

Bomber purchased at Best Damn Beer Shop ($8.49). Pours an orange-gold hue with one finger of white foam that has really good retention and leaves nice lacing. Aroma has lots of fresh-cut grass along with honeysuckle and lemon rind notes and a fresh graininess. Taste is full of fresh hop flavors including grass and herbs followed by some fresh but mild citrus and some pine. The moderate malt base here keeps it balanced while still letting the wet hop notes be front and center. Lightly sweet with some mild lingering bitterness. Oily mouthfeel. Certainly one of the better wet hop beers that I have had. (866, 662)

650 ml bottle bought by my father @ De man van Drank, Rotterdam, and consumed on January 26. Pours clear pale amber with a white head that leaves lots of lacing on the glass while dissipating . Smell is packed with citrus fruits like grapefruit, orange and lemon zest and tropical fruits like mango, pineapple and papaya. Very nice and fresh. Taste is fresh and bitter with pine, mango, pineapple and grapefruit. Mouthfeel is slightly watery. Finish is bitter with lemon zest and orange zest. I had expected something with more depth so I find myself a bit disappointed. It’s still a good beer though.

resin, grass, spruce, herbs, floral, bread, amber, clear, frothy, white foam, medium bitterness, medium body, creamy, lively, bitter, astringent,

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass. Color was pale honey. Decent amount of head, maybe 1 ½ inches. Frothy white lacing on the top. Bubbly gray film on the sides. Smelled citrus hops with grapefruit and tangerine coming through first. Sweet caramel malts as well. Tasted citrus hops from the beginning, which wasn’t surprising given the smell, but surprising for a pale ale. More grapefruit than tangerine here. Bitterness on the tongue after. Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Bitter finish. I liked this beer and went back and forth on a host of ratings, but decided to settle on my initial thoughts. I’d definitely give it another go.

Bomber from Finger Lakes Beverage (Ithaca), served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass.

App.: Clear amber with a fair off-white head. Aroma: Strong pine and peppery, zesty hops, sticky caramel backbone, bread crust, a bit savoury/broth, citrus notes, juicy, brown sugar, nice. Palate: Medium body, smooth, laid-back effervescence, a bit oily/slick. Flav.: Lots of rich pine and peppery hops, some citrus notes, good caramel malt backbone, brown sugar notes, clean, rich and to the point; dry with good bitterness and a nice long malty pine finish.

A great hop forward beer from GD? You don’t say...