Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale Delivers Smooth Flavor

Every autumn brewing companies release limited-edition beers to celebrate and coordinate with the annual hop harvest season. The Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Harvest Ale is a stand-out beer in this tradition that is a delicious complement to the cooler weather.

Harvest Ale is brewed using only fresh-picked, "wet" hops. The 11th Edition of the Sierra Nevada Fresh Hops Harvest Ale was made with 8,000 pounds of fresh hops that were harvested and brewed on the same day. According to Sierra Nevada literature, the "wet" hops process preserves more natural hop resins and aromatic oils, and produces layers of hop notes. The final product has an alcohol by volume (APV) of 6.7 percent.

"Each fall we gear up for production of our winter seasonal beer, and up until now that hasn't left room for us to do any of our specialty beers," said brewery owner and founder Ken Grossman in the Harvest Ale press release. "But this year we decided we would find a way to bottle Harvest Ale, because so many people have asked for it."

Look and smell before sipping. Even before tasting the beer, you'll be able to smell the spicy-sweet flavors of citrus and hops. This beer is lightly carbonated, which gives it the beautiful fluffy white head that sticks to the glass. The Harvest Ale is a medium-bodied beer with a smooth mouth feel that has an initial full flavor and mellow finish. The burnt orange color echoes the nutty, caramel, grapefruit, and malt flavors that do not trample over each other but instead coat the tongue and mouth with a subtle slightly bitter and then sweet finish.

The Harvest Ale is one of those rare beers that both dedicated beer drinkers and just the occasional imbiber can enjoy equally. If you like hops flavor, the clear golden amber of the Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale delivers; if you like a smooth beer, the Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale could be your new fall favorite. Beer fanatics can wax nostalgic about its distinct elements, and everyone else can just enjoy how good it tastes.

The 2007 11th Edition of the Harvest Ale is the first time Sierra Nevada made it available in bottles. Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale was released in late September and will be available until supply runs out. Harvest Ale is available in 24 ounce bottles and on draft in limited quantities nationwide. Each 24 ounce bottle costs approximately $4/bottle. The Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Harvest Ale will only be around this fall so get while the getting is good.

Source:

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.