John Harvards Amarillo Anonymous

Brewed by John Harvards Brewhouse Lake Grove
Style: Wheat Ale
Lakegrove, New York USA

Well, I’ll jump on board with Brandon and add my two cents. I too don’t usually rate the John Harvard’s stuff but this is definitely worth talking about. Had it on cask yesterday after a long day at work. A real nice blend of wheat and Amarillo. Wheat presence is not overpowering, none of that sourness or fishiness. Mainly, an orange-like flavor and aroma from the hops with the wheat providing an easing backdrop. It’s a beautiful orange color as well with a nice head. Can’t see through it but the orange color just shines. The mouthfeel is very nice as well. A very still beer with a heavy body for its type. This creates a real presence on the cheeks without any harshness at all. Some bitterness as expected. 8/4/8/4/16

Rerate on tap, 9/18/06: absolutely no presence of wheat, just comes of as an IPA. Still nice but better on cask.8/4/7/4/15

Rerate: Cask, this is the 3rd batch but it’s nowhere like the first, almost a completely different beer with different hops, less bitterness, and general less bite to the beer. Lighter and more watered down. Hopefully this will come back better or come out better on tap.7/4/6/4/14

Tap at the Lake Grove location. Burnished deep gold colour. Hazy appearance. Beautiful bright orange citrus aroma with light mango and other tropical fruit notes. Flavour shows a lowely wheaty spiciness playing off of the sweet hoppy fruitiness. A touch of caramel sweetness helps brings both together. Soft bitter finish. Warming brings out a touch of resinousness. Very nice brew.

On cask at the Lake Grove JH’s: Very, super cloudy dark orange body with nearly no head at all. I’m pleasantly surprised at the quality of this John Harvard’s beer. Wheaty, but much more complex. Slightly sweetened with honey, great, smooth mouthfeel. Just a touch of hoppiness makes this really refreshing. Very good.

I don’t normally rate John Harvards brews, let alone enter them, since I don’t really like to clog the database up with beers that only two or three people will every try/rate, but I had to enter this because I feel it’s a testament to the steady increase of quality beers being produced at this John Harvards - plus I really love amarillo hops - had this on cask - it’s an american wheat made with a BUNCH of amarillo hops - very hazy orange, with slightly musty and tart aromas hiding behind citrus and a very piney hop aroma - those amarillos are there in abundance, and they sure are tasty - slightly sweet orange jam - background wheat malt presence - think of a wheat beer/IPA hybrid and you have a good idea what this tastes like - quite nice.

20070428 Tap at TAPNY. Fair beer, a nicely done American wheat with enough kitsch to be interesting. Tropical fruit salad underlying the aromas and flavor. More yeasty notes than most of the style as well as a fuller body and a nice touch of sweetness.

Tap @ Lake Grove: Poured a hazy copper color with a medium sized creamy off-white head. The aroma had fruity hops with notes of oranges and caramel malt underneath. The flavor was full of orange flesh and orange rind. Some semi-sweet malty notes show up. The finish was dry and moderately bitter. Light to medium bodied.

On tap at JH. Pours a clear orange with a small white head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt. Flavor of nice malt, honey wheat, light citrusy hops, and orange peel with a wheat finish. Tasty, decent, but not very exciting. Plenty drinkable. 7/4/7/4/13 (3.5/5)

Update 4/9/08: Had this on tap again. Definitely more citrus hops come to play in this one with a sturdy malt backbone. I don’t know why I rated this a 3.5 before, it’s quite good! 7/4/8/4/14 (3.7/5)

On tap at the Lake Grove location. Pours a lightly hazy deep amber with a thin linen white head that faded to a ring after the first sip and left a layer of spotty lace with each sip. Pleasant aroma of grainy malt and fresh pine hops. The flavor is mild wheat up front followed by citrus and pine. Definite hops bitterness at the finish, but not excessive, that lingers for several seconds beyond the swallow. One of the better beers that I have had from this brewer.