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.
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.
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