Sierra Nevada Harvest

This is interesting and actually quite enjoyable for me, considering that I don’t really care for IPA at all. Then, this seems a bit more like a double IPA in its strength and firm body, and I like double IPA much more than IPA for this reason. It is light copper with a big light tan head that lasts, is foamy, and leaves decent, foamy lace. Th aroma is, not suprisingly, very hoppy, with citrus, esp. grapefruit, but pine, lots of flowery elements, along with caramel, hints of grain and honey, etc. It tastes very hoppy and definitely on the bitter side, but it’s not too bitter while the bitterness is balanced with lots of complex malty and hoppy flavours, plus a firm body and sweetness from the higher alcohol and maltiness. It’s very enjoyable and interesting.

2007 24 oz. bottle. AROMA: Fresh floral centennial hops; earthy and almost like clean fresh grass APPEARANCE: sturdy off-white head; steady carbonation rising; nice honey brown, slightly mirky appearance, nice lacing FLAVOR: steady hops throughout, which present a pleasant and fresh bitterness; PALATE: Not as fizzy as appearance would suggest (which I like, because an over-carbonated beer is never very pleasing); surprisingly smooth for the appearance and the hops OVERALL: one of the nicer pale ale’s I’ve had. Pale ale’s are generally my favorite type of beer, but one think I find to be the case more often then not is that they are all very similar. This beer is unique, but feel almost as if the plane ol’ SN Pale Ale is almost more outgoing. However, you really should not avoid this beer if you see it.

Pours copper/amber and clear into my half yard. Lots of frothy biscuit head, and a good amount of carbonation for an IPA. The aroma was yeasty and floral. You can taste the bitterness and the dank flavors in this - very hoppy, piney and resinous. Not as dank as some IPAs, but danker than most. 2008 Vintage Fresh: Full of hop bitterness, this year. Wet hop is excellent.

(24 oz. bottle (2007) from <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/new-hampshire/portsmouth/garys-beverage/1486.htm target=blank>Gary’s Beverage) Nuthin’ too subtle about this one...Pours maybe very slightly hazyish amber with a big four finger biscuit head that settles to a rather thick rocky biscuit cap. Aroma is strongly hoppy - flowers, fruit and pine - along with sticky caramel and vanilla. Mouthfeel is almost creamy smooth, soft and kind of sticky - quite good. Lots of rings and patches of somewhat foamy lacing. Flavor is just heaps of hops - just oozing out everywhere - pine and grapefruit with floral in the nasal passages. Quite bitter and medium to high bitter finish. Some sweet notes of caramel and vanilla underneath but malt is held well in check by the copious somewhat resiny hop presence. I like a bit more of chewy caramel and a really juicy hop flavor for a super top-notch IPA but this comes pretty close. Lingering bitter aftertaste.

Bottle courtesy of Hogtownharry: Poured a clear medium amber color ale with a large foamy head with good retention but no lacing. Aroma consists of bitter hops with some traces of caramel malt. Taste is a mix between some bitter green hops with some notes of caramel malt. Medium body with some average carbonation. This beer is really average on so many levels and it definitely isn’t one of the best harvest hops beers that I have had the chance to try.

I rushed down to BeMo and got this as soon as it was available last fall, and had it right away. Very unique. Great aroma. Different hoppy apa, kinda IPA great stuff. great after taste. Not too high in alcohol, so a bomber plus is easy. I’ve bought over a case, and while the taste has changed over time, [and maybe lost just a ’touch’ of the greatness] this is still a great beer. The aroma is not quite there, but this is still good stuff. thanks Sierra Nevada!

Pours a brilliant orangey-copper into a pint glass. The head is fluffy and tan, and is maintaining it’s 1 finger of height remarkably well. It’s been 5 minutes since pouring and the foam is just about as high as ever. Aroma is very underwhelming for a fresh hop beer. Where usually in this style there would be a bright bouquet of fruity, floral hops, there’s only a raw leafiness. Flavor is ok, surprisingly malty considering SN’s track record with pale ales (overhopped messes), but not all that tasty. A little bit of pepperiness in the finish. This beer is a little thick in body for the style, but the carbonation cuts through well. Finish isn’t really crisp enough to be refreshing. Another overrated beer from Sierra Nevada.

God bless SN for bottling this beer and shipping it East. Amber-orange in appearance with excellent head retention (slightly off-white). Aroma is very hoppy, with some crytal malt. Amazing NW hop flavor (cascade and centennial), but not sickening or overpowering. The malt and alcohol make their presence known after a few sips. Bought 2 cases and they went quickly, delicious beer.