Sierra Nevada Estate Brewers Harvest Ale

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Chico, California USA

orange with a large white head, that even has a greenish hue to it. nose of floral hops. pleasant bittering followed by a very unique combination of fruity mango and peach schnapps tasting hops, very nice. some fruity esters and even a little crystal malt notes before a dry, but not overly so, finish. a very nice ipa. dry, yet sweet, great hop flavor, good brew

Sample at Falling Rock Tap House in Denver. The beer pours a honey color with a medium light beige head that diminishes steadily. Stringy lacing on the glass. Citrusy hops aroma along with notes of sweet malt and spices. Medium body with a grapefruit character and flavors of hops, earthy malt and caramel. The finish is hoppy with a citrus aftertaste. Pretty solid all around.

Pours dark amber with big white head that leaves loads of lace down the glass , earthy, citrusy aroma,not much carbonation left in the ale, but has full mouthfeel with a slight umami backing the fine balance between caramel sweet malt and tangy hop bitterness.

Bottle. Dark amber body with a medium off white head. Nose is lightly floral, pine and citrus. Flavors of spice, pine, sweet malt, caramel. Finish is both citric and piney bitterness. Medium full mouthfeel and too sticky. Just wasn’t too exciting for all the emphasis on estate-grown barley and hops. Maybe the terroir of Chico is just lost on me.

tasting sample on 11/14/09... pours a deep orange with a white head... some lingering fresh spice hop aroma... medium body...smooth palate... very well balanced overall... deep bitter and sticky finish.

Bottle. Dark gold, clear, and very carbonated. Chunky white head. Nose is the familiar SN hops but light and very floral. Taste is perfumy, lower hop profile, and little/no malt flavors. Body is light and carbonated. A bit sweet and viscous. Refreshing.

2009. I thought this would be much hoppier than the pale ale. It was slighty but not dramatically. dark amber in color. can taste pine, citrus, medium malt. great mouth feel. good beer.

Bottle courtesy of GandGKevin. Thanks Kevin! Rusty amber with a tall, very dense, tan colored head. Aroma is surprisingly not as hoppy as expected. There’s more earthy and spicy hops as opposed to citrus and pine. The malt is sweet with light caramel notes. Taste is sweet malt, light honey, bit of toffee, caramel, spicy hops, floral notes, light earthy hops, and bit of grain. Body is medium with a creamy, dense carbonation. Ends with more spicy and earthy hops, toffee, pear and melon, light honey, caramel and grains. Different than I expected but still pretty good.