Founders - Harvest Ale

Tonight I'm drinking some wet-hopped deliciousness from Founders Brewing.  I don't remember this being around last year.  If it was, I just wasn't paying attention.  Founders has a very diverse line-up of beer so it's no surprise that they have a fresh hop ale in their arsenal.  Most recently Duns reviewed their Cerise and just couldn't quite get past the tartness of the cherries.  My last Founders brew was KBS, a bourbon-aged Russian Imperial Stout.  Not the best, but still pretty tasty and better than average.  With tonights review, we are really rounding out a diverse set of reviews from these guys.

The label is one of the cooler ones I've seen for a fresh-hop ale.  Even though its relatively bland, the giant hop cones and font used for "Harvest Ale" gained my attention.  I've always debated on getting a tattoo of a hop cone.  Maybe this label will be in the running when I finally decide to suck it up and go under the needle.

This wet-hopped ale is a hazy, bright orange.  Holy hops!  Before I even have time to put the bottle down a wave of citrusy hops cut through the air like an airplane propeller through an Indiana Jones enemy.  That's what I like to experience with any beer claiming to use wet hops. The aromas are prominently citrus with grapefruit easily winning the battle against orange rind and hints of fresh cut grass.  Some malty sweetness attempts to flail its arms in the background to get noticed, but fails to garner any notoriety here.  My first sip is a blast of grapefruit with that malty sweetness finally able to break through and add some balance in the taste.  More grassy and herbal flavors make their presence known and bring a bit of complexity to this otherwise straight forward wet hop ale.  Very juicy!  The 70 IBUs keep the finish bitter and refreshing while the 6.5% ABV hides behind this hop assault.

Overall - One of the better harvest ales I've had so far this season.  The aromas were pleasant and remained strong throughout the brew, even if it was a little one sided towards the grapefruit.  The flavors were what really brought it all together for me.  I really enjoyed the hop complexities and the solid malt base to keep a semblance of balance.  Definitely give this one a shot if you are a hop head.  

Weyerbacher - Harvest Ale

For anyone who brews their own beer, they know that its about that time of year for the hop harvest.  Some homebrewers even grow their own hops!  Luckily, my Father-in-law has a farm on which he allowed us to plant some Cascade hops for us to use in our homebrew.  A few weeks ago, we used those hops in our own fresh hop ale.  It turned out great!  Tonight, I will be reviewing Weyerbacher's version of their fresh hop ale - Harvest Ale.

For those who don't have an intimate familiarity with the differentiation between fresh hops and normal hops, let me briefly explain.  Most beers use hops that have been prepackaged and dried in order to preserve them for after the harvest.  Fresh hops are not processed at all.  They are picked straight from the bine, shipped to the brewery, and tossed directly into the kettle within a few days after harvest.  In fact, some breweries grow their own hops and use the harvest hops within the same day!  The difference?  If done right, fresh hops will give you a much more pungent hop aroma and fuller flavor.  I've had fresh hopped ales in the past and so has Duns. We have both had hits and misses.  I'm hoping Weyerbacher comes through with their version 'cause I got a hankerin' for some hops!

Weyerbacher's Harvest Ale is brewed with hops picked from local farms.  This isn't just to support the local farmers but to also ensure a fresh product.  The color is a bold, sunburst orange with a thin, light white head.  Some citrus and woody aromas come through in the midst of a mild caramel and bready base.  Not the hop bomb I was expecting, but not all harvest ales are.  As I continue through my freshly-hopped journey I come to the realization that I wont be getting a huge IPA that I anticipated.  That's OK! The flavors are a mixture of woody, bitter, malty and bready.  The latter is barely there.  The fresh hops play a larger role in the flavors than they do the aromas.  I definitely like it.  Some malty sweetness does come through as it warms.  Much more complex than the aroma would make you believe.

Overall - Weyerbacher's Harvest Ale is a winner in my book.  It's not for those seeking a hop bomb - that it is not.  What it is, however, is a nicely balanced, albeit to the hoppier side of the spectrum, fresh hopped ale.  While its a bit pricey for a four pack, it's certainly worth it if you can find it on tap or as a single bottle.  These fresh-hop ales are only available for a limited time each year.  Get the good ones while you can!  Oh, and don't let them linger in the fridge.  The fresh hop quality drops out of the beer quickly.