Beer Valley Leafer Madness Imperial Pale Ale Hop Harvest Edition

Brewed by Beer Valley Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Ontario, Oregon USA

This stuff rocks. The only imperial style fresh hop I’ve ever seen. Leave it to Pete. Just gobs and gobs of gooey malted hop acid on a luscious creamy texture that goes down smooth despite it’s head clobbering abv and high hop rate. It warmed up and stayed fresh with no offensive nuances to speak of. Absolutely delicious. TRUMP!

22oz. Bomber Stamped on the Side 2008 Hop Harvest Edition WOW! A 9% ABV APA, it’s got to be my first. Pours a very nice cloudy golden orange/yellow color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice one-finger thick creamy off-white head, with lots of nice thick/creamy sticky lacing left behind. The nose is pretty much a hop bomb, slight malts, nice notes of citrus, slight pine. The taste is sweet on the lips, slightly bitter, very hoppy, some malts, there’s a nice dab of citrus/pines. Medium body, with some nice chewiness, with a slightly dry finish. Very drinkable, this is a very tasty APA, glad to have had a chance to try it. Highly recommended. Thanks Toby for a great brew.

Pour: Bomber to pint glass. Clear gold with a tinge of amber. Fluffy off-white head with exceptional retention and very good lacing. Nose: Lots of cidery apple notes with a sweet citrus character reminiscent of tangerine. Not especially robust. Mouth: Pale malt profile, definitely not a sweet DIPA. Big herbal hops midpalate, with some orangey citrus in the finish. Nice solid bitterness with no astringency. Pleasantly dry and resinous. Carbonation is a little low, but it’s not bad. A very good DIPA and a nice surprise coming from a brewery I’ve never heard of before this.

22oz Bottle Pours out a hazy copper topped with a tall sand cream head. Aroma of fresh citrus hops all over this one. Tast more of the great hops. Pleanty of sweet caramel and rich malts. This double was Great.

Picture sent in to be uploaded. Pours with a large, creamy off-white head that stays for a while. Cloudy orange body. Sheets of lace, no rings per sip, just a continuous curtain from the level of the first pour. Aroma is of dank and juicy hops, caramel and a bit of doughy bread. Taste is very bitter with a slight hint of alcohol, a bit of exotic fruit as well. Long duration, with a clean aftertaste and no real lingering bitterness. A touch of caramel too. Somewhat syrupy mouthfeel and warming. Moderate levels of carbonation.

My Bottom Line:
Resinous and sandy hops blossom into citrusy and leafy ramifications within and atop this Double IPA’s crunchy pale malts, sculpting a most compelling flavor profile.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A veil of foam stays atop the cloudy blond.
-The mouthfeel is comfortable, rich yet never heavy.
-The alcohol is well hidden in the expressive hop finish, which is mostly grassy and resinous.
-This must be utter hop heaven on tap!

Bottle; 2009 Fresh Hop Edition.

Poured a hazy orange golden color with a small, white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of floral hops, citrus, tropical fruits, tangerine, toasted malts and pine. Taste of citrus fruits, pine, light caramel, resiny hops, grass, and a grapefruit, hoppy finish.

Great poor. Creamy and full head with nice lacing. Elegant burned orange/amber color. Faint citrus and malt aroma. Spicy citrus flavor and great palate. Lingers long and bitter on the tongue, almost too long. Like most Pacific Northwest IPA’s, very hoppy, and the fact that this beer is fresh hopped puts in full in your face. Good example of the genre, but not my favorite.