BridgePort Hop Harvest Ale (2007)

Formerly brewed at BridgePort Brewing (Gambrinus Company)
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Portland, Oregon USA

22oz bottle. Pours a hazy, light orange-amber color; whitish head with patchy lacing. Sharp, citrus and spicy hop aroma; a bit boozy and sharp. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: strong citrus and minerals and light piney hoppiness; surprisingly full-bodied and rough hop character, lacking much of the typical resiny, oily harvest ale character; like a big, chewy IPA more than a harvest ale. Lengthy, grassy and mineral hop finish with a doughy note at the far end.

Small sample thanks to Turdferguson. Nice solid amber pour. Aroma was piney, fresh hops, citrus peel. The flavor has nice and hoppy, a little waxy, spicy hops. Nice harvest ale.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle. Clear, bright and vibrant orange appearance. Aroma suggests the freshest of summer produce stock in peaches, cantaloupe, pineapple, and watermelon; some lavender, pine oil, and soft grasses settle in for a near perfect hop aroma, though this is marred a bit eventually by an excessively clean mint and solvent tone. Similarly, the taste is alive with floral zest, almost with a lack of sweetness to steady it; the kinship with two hearted ale is proud and well-rendered for the most part, although the wash of hops hasn’t the supportive canvas of candied nut sweetness of that better example. Exhibiting plenty of grassy bitterness and earthy richness, but remaining confined for the most part to that single dimension, leaving the body unwarmed by the bright citrus sunshine of the aroma. Crisp, with a bit of surprising stickiness in the mouth; delayed sweetness in heather honey smacks distantly at the end in a mostly drying finish. Easy to quaff, and pleasant for the most part; one much more easily appreciated by the gulp. Thanks for sharing, Ken!

Bottle, shared with Henning and Ethan. Pours a hazy, glowing orange-amber with a thick white head and good lace. Nose has a lot fresh hops--pine and citrus stick out. Flavor is fine, but lacks complexity. Didn’t taste much of the floral overtones reminiscent of tropical fruits. Mouthfeel is smooth and this is very easy to drink. A nice, albeit different, fresh harvest ale.

Bomber. Marvelous floral hop aroma. Hazy light amber color with a minimal white head. Medium in body with a near creamy carbonation. The flavor is floral hop lightly backed by citrus accompanied by unobtrusive caramel. This is very smooth and mellow. The finish is reasonably dry with a nice hop presence. It is extremely kind to the mouth, and a pleasure to drink.

22oz bottle, tasted alongside Founders Harvest Ale. 20-30% opaque honey orange colored body with a billowy off-white head. Fresh, snappy hop nose of dry pine and soft but clean yeast. Initial flavors of crisp resinous pine and citrus turn more full on the back, with the pine turning a little bit towards cedar, but with wet hop leaf throughout. Flavorful, fresh and lively - a different harvest ale than Founders, but equally good.

(Bottle) Pours a cloudy orange body with a medium off-white head. Aroma of pine, sweet candy, and light lemon. Flavor of sweet caramel, sugar coated dried pineapple and mango, citrusy hops, and then more pine comes through as it warms. Mild bitterness that finishes dry.

Hazy, dull amber with no head. Fresh, floral, fruity aroma. Extremely inviting. Full, soft palate with excellent fresh hop flavor. Has a bit of astringency. Nice balancing bitterness. Very organic in flavor. A meditative IPA.