Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Denver, Colorado USA

More of an IPA. Citrus and pine flavors throughout. Solid body. Finished refreshing.

Appearance: The FHA pours a warm coppery orange color with a nice subtle (yet rocky) tan colored head. The presence of carbonation is visible as you hold the glass up to a light. There is a very nice foamy three finger head, which on the top, almost looks like frothed milk. As the head settles, it hangs on to the side of the glass leaving its fair share of lacing. Smell: As one would expect from a beer called Fresh Hop Ale, there is a ton of hop aromas on the nose right out of the glass. It’s very citrusy and clean smelling with a bit of pungency from this abundance of hops. Finally, there are lots of grassy and bitter grapefruit components present in the end that almost confuse you into thinking it’s a double. Taste: There’s not as much carbonation on the tongue as you would expect from a beer with this much head. Unlike a lot of other hoppy beers along these lines, though, there is a good amount of flavor coming through. The citrus components that I got on the nose don’t fully translate to the palate. These hops have a much grassier or pine needle quality than those others. Mouthfeel: The mouth feel on this one ranges between light and medium bodied in that your mouth wants it to be a potent Imperial IPA, but that fact is that it’s just a Pale Ale with lots of hops. It coats the tongue nicely, though, and never leaves you needing more bitterness. Overall: The beauty of this beer is that it’s not considered an Imperial IPA – it’s a Pale Ale. This difference alone brings the alcohol content down 3% from its older brother, the Hercules Double IPA, which I prefer greatly over this. The problem with the FHA being a Pale Ale, however, is that hop heads will really wish there was more going on in this glass if it’s going to include lots of fresh hops. You are basically getting 75% of the experience of a double IPA. Ultimately, this is a really nice beer because it can be a lower alcohol percentage beer while still hanging on to a lot of the same hoppy characteristics of a double. And to be perfectly honest, it truly is better than a lot of the “Imperial” IPAs I’ve had from other breweries around the world.

22 oz bottle. Getting near the end of the quest of rating beers I’ve had before. Pours a copper/golden color with a small off-white head that disappates quickly. Immediately you can smell the fresh hops from the pour, but also you can smell grassy aromas, some floralness, a bit of lime. What I would classify as a green aroma. Tastes very similar to the smell, with the fresh hops being very prevalent. Fairly smooth going down. A very nice beer, one of my favorite fresh hops, though as far as APA’s go, FFF’s Alpha King blows it out of the water.

Bomber at home with weeAnaP on March 19, 2009. Super clear yellow/orange with an off-white large frothy head. Yep! Aroma is definitely "fresh" and hoppy. Pretty strong - great flavor... beefy for a pale. Just the way I like em! Better than expected. I think I like their old label better.. this one makes it seem a little wimpy from the outside.

Great Pale Ale... Fresh Hop is exactly what it is... Pours a medium golden..off white head that last the entire beer. Hops on top of Hops. One of my favorite Pale Ales.

Pours coper with a white head. Smells of earth, caramel, yeasty. Tastes of caramel, fresh malt, sweet. Not seeing the loyalty to this one.

This is a great beer. Soft and tender like an old lover. This pours light amber and clear with an off white head. Nice lacing with a head that does not settle too quickly. Floral nose, almost soapy. Sharp flavor, crisp citrus (grapefruit dominates with some lime). Finishes is of refreshing hops. A great Beer!

Bomber. Hazed amber with a beige head. Rather sweet nose, floral perfumey and sweet orange. Peach and pine notes. Sweet orangey flavor, a bit spicey, caramel and piney wood. Kinda chewy, decent lace rings. Really nice, but a bit sweet for my taste.