BridgePort Hop Harvest Ale (2008)

Brewed by BridgePort Brewing (Gambrinus Company)
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Portland, Oregon USA

Picked up a single 22-oz bomber from Liquid Solutions in Oregon. Pours a semi-clear cooper amber brew with a thick off-white head that has some nice retention and spotty lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, citrus zest, a touch of apple, and dry herbs. Taste is medium bodied, very light carbonation with flavors of citrus hops, a hint of caramel malt and grapefruit. Finish has a mild bitterness and a some caramel aftertaste. Some similarities to the 2007 vintage but does not have the hot punch as previous vintages.

22 oz bottle (entering late as i drank this last year). i don’t know what they did this year, but is nowhere near the outstanding batch from 2007. A fairly boring average IPA, a bit of citrus hoppiness. Boring.

Aroma is fruity. Malt profile is on the fence between stale and perfect. Lots of florals in this one. Reminds me slightly of Uberhoppy. Finishes on a bitter note. Lots of apricot notes, as well as bittersweet apple. Pours copper with tan head.

Not at all impressed with this one. Not much in the way of flavor or aroma. Tasted like a fairly pedestrian IPA with little of the implied fresh hop character. Might have been a bad batch?

Bomber, and I’m thinking it must be 2008. Poured hazy, fiery orange with a nice cap of off-white head. The aroma picked up semi-sweet mango and pineapple notes on a bed of soft caramel and sourdough.. the green, fresh hops kicked up some spicy black pepper and floral as it warmed up. The flavor opened with resiny pine and quasi-sour citrus (orange and grapefruit), rolling into juicy sweeter caramel at the core.. again peppery and floral notes come on the back, and provide a refreshing finish. Medium-bodied with low-to-moderate carbonation on the palate.. dry overall and well-balanced.

Bomber from Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, CA. They’d kept it in the frig case. Pours a ruddy amber color with a decent beige head. Lots of fresh citrus fruit for aroma. Rather full bodied with lots of foamy carbonation. It’s pretty astringent and bitter. For me it’s a tossup whether I’m getting grapefruit rind or pine. Seems very fresh and lush. Finish is dry.

This stuff was great when it was fresh. I tried it on draft in the off-season (April) and it had passed its prime. The fresh hop flavor and aroma had mellowed tremendously, taking away the beer’s originally well-balanced flavor. A drinking buddy couldn’t even finish hers, and I actually struggled to. Looking forward to the 2009 batch though, of course. Get it while it’s fresh!

220z bottle picked up at a Bridgeport brewhouse in Portland. Thick and murky orange-brown color with a thin soapy head. Aroma is quite hoppy and sweet. Solid earthy hop characteristics, sort of an amped up APA. Lots of orange citrus notes. Big malt bill gives it a solid backbone, standing up the the hops. I let this one age for 6 months, I’d assume the freshness has mellowed out. Piny and sweet with that great fresh hop earthiness, this is a beer worth seeking out.