Review – Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

From Sierra Nevada: Our newest addition to our Harvest family is Southern Hemisphere Harvest. This is the first time we know of that an American brewer has put out a beer with fresh-picked hops from the southern hemisphere. The inaugural ale will debut in late April and will feature fresh Pacific Hallertau, New Zealand Motueka and New Zealand Southern Cross hops, all from New Zealand.

Like our Celebration Ale, the fresh hops in this beer are dried right after being picked then shipped immediately to Chico for brewing so that they retain their peak aromatics and flavors. To ensure the freshest hops possible, we went to the added expense of flying these hops from New Zealand to Chico so we could brew with them the week after they were picked.

Sierra Nevada Brewing – Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale – 6.7% abv.

Poured from a 24oz “signature Sierra Nevada-style” bottle into a pint glass. Purchased from Dawsons Liquors in Severna Park MD.
Appearance: Gold around the edges, pumpkin orange in the middle and slightly cloudy. A good hed that leaves plentyof lacng on the glass.

Nose: True to its “harvest” moniker, this beer smells heavily of malt and caramel. There are very faint hints of apples and even fainter hints of apple blossoms. Intriguing.

Taste: The “fresh hops” come through on the palate more than the malt, which is a pleasant surprise. It’s like a pale ale masquerading as an Oktoberfest.

Mouthfeel: Slightly viscous with a lingering finish.

Drinkability: The 66 IBUs make this a perfect accompaniment to full-flavored dishes, dark chocolate and medium to full-bodied cigars. The 6.7% ABV allows the drinker to enjoy quite a bit of this beer in one sitting.

Highly, highly recommended.