Sierra Nevada Estate Brewers Harvest Ale

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

On tap at Mekong on 09/27/2009. Fairly clear copper body with a medium frothy off-white head. Big citrus and floral hop aroma on a sweet caramel and pale malt background. Sweet floral and citrus hop flavor with a pale malt background. Medium full body with moderate carbonation.

2009 Big ol’ bottle. Pours a clear amber-brown with little head that quickly diminishes to a film. Aroma is grainy with sweet malt and spicy hops. Pineapple and citrus are more dominant in the initial flavor, which ends in an earthy, lingering bitterness. Slight alcohol burn. Everything is nicely balanced by the caramel malt backbone. Medium carbonation and a substantial mouthfeel. Yum.

2009 brew. pours a semi-hazy amber-orange with a large yellowish head, and excellent lacing. smell of citrus, earth, a touch of caramel, and hops. taste is smooth, caramel, hops, citrus, and some malt, ends a little dry, somewhat tangy, and a little bitter.

Draught at The Red. Nearly clear copper with a big pillowy off-white head that leaves generous lacing. A foamy keg at The Red is always a good sign. The aroma is floral and heavy on the spicy, pungent hops with green hop-matter evident as well. Pleasant, but pretty standard hop character, though more pungent than fruity. The flavor is heavy on hops, with an oily, spicy character overall, leaning on some orange and mango as well, but to a lesser extent. There is a nice balancing bready and sweet caramel malt body, but the hops still dominate the flavor. The finish is more bittern than sweet, but not harshly bitter or astringent. Medium bodied with smooth, medium carbonation. Doesn’t deviate much from the rest of SN’s IPAs, but has a great oily hop flavor that makes it stand out. On the maltier side, but plenty hoppy. I was hesitant about purchasing bottles of this due to their higher price, but this was definitely worth it on tap.

24 oz. bottle. Amber body. Off-white, fizzy head, slowly diminishing. Hoppy aroma of flowers, grapefruit, pineapple with notes of raw grain and caramel. The flavor is lightly to moderately sweet and moderately bitter. The finish is lightly sweet and moderately to heavily bitter. Long, lingering bitterness. Medium body, watery texture that turns creamy despite the lively carbonation. The beer, unlike lots of IPAs, has no overpowering flavors (except at the very end when the bitterness lingers on) as Torpedo does and is not crisp, a recipe and balance that you would think would turn out a mushy, too soft IPA. But not so. The blend of sweet caramel sliding in and out of the citrus and floral hops is very enoyable. Excellent beer.

Bottle. Pours an amber copper color with a slight haze and an off white head. Aroma is somewhat muted with citrus and caramel. Flavor is caramel, nuts, citrus and pine. Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.

Amber pour. Delicous floral and citrus hops with some nice caramel notes. Flavor is bitter, but not overpoweringly. Hops are fresh and wonderfully balanced by some nice caramel malt. Certainly a kick ass beer.

Chico Estate Harvest Wet Hop Ale--5th Release 2008 24 oz. 6.70% 66 IBU’s 4.95 / 5.0 Harvest Ale Dense rocky thick rich lacy off white head.Clear bright rich amber color.Rich earthy malty floral pine hop front.Crusty mild sweet resinous hop infused toasted bisquit mild fruit rich malty nutty body.Cloying malt balanced refreshing mellow hop spice end. 9/23/2008 $5.49 Estate Brewers Harvest Ale 1st Release--Our Own Hops--Our Own Barley 2009 24 oz. 6.70% 66 IBU’s 4.85 / 5.0 Harvest Ale Lip Smacking Delicious From Start!Rich lacy off white head.Clear bright pretty rich amber color.Rich floral herbal pine hop front.Medium bodied hop infused rich creamy mild sweet caramel grapefruit pine earthy intoxicating hop body.Puckery hop spice end. 10/13/2009 $5.49