Tonight I'll be drinking this fresh-hop brew from Sierra Nevada called Southern Hemisphere Harvest. This beer is brewed with freshly picked hops from New Zealand, picked, dried and shipped all in a matter of days to SN's Chico facility. The hops used are New Zealand Motueka and New Zealand Southern Cross, along with Pacific Hallertau for bittering. I've never heard of them, but damnit, they're fresh!This baby is going into my snifter glass - the color is a clear orange copper, with a big ole' 2 inches of frothy white head. Standard good looks that we expect from Sierra Nevada. The aroma is funkadelick! Musty, pungent, warm peaches, mild resins, and then some sweetness is underlying in there. The taste doesn't really follow the smell......very mild toasty grains and biscuits start things off. The hop characteristics are weak and bland - not a lot going on. There's a slight hop bitterness that lacks any real distinction or character - just some bitterness without much flavor. The body is full, almost heavy, and the carbonation is high, very smooth going down, but that doesn't mean it tastes good...
Overall Rating: I hate to say it, but I didn't dig this beer. The hops were there but didn't have much to offer. The malts were OK, but considering this is a "Fresh Hop Ale", I expect more robust flavors coming from the hop side of things. Sorry guys, can't recommend this one.
I haven't had this beer before, so I can't comment directly on it. Did you get an old bottle? Have you tried Sierra Nevada's Estate Ale? It is a similar concept but made from grain and hops grown at the brewery in Chico, CA. If you can get your hands on a bottle this fall, I think you'll like it.
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I don't recall seeing a date on the bottle, but it's possible this was an older bottle. I've tried the Estate Ale and loved it, fantastic brew. Which is why I had such high expectations for this brew, and it just fell a little short. I'll definitely give it a try again next year though....Sierra Nevada holds a special place in my hop-heart ; )
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