Sierra Nevada Estate Brewers Harvest Ale

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Amber color with off-white head. Strong hop flavor and aroma with good bitterness, not overpowering. Citrus & pine balanced with good malt backbone and some sweetness.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Dec. 2009 - Similar to the "regular" Harvest, but with a bit more toffee like notes in the malt and a much spicier/pepperier hop profile. A good effort, but still not as good as the "regular" Harvest, which might be my favorite IPA. For the same money as one bottle of this, I can have two of "regulars". Well, I get a "tick" out of it. ;)

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

$9.13... pours a medium copper w/ a decent 2 finger head .. . an easy drinker, maybe to much so ... pine and light woodiness, some slight resin .. . calm ... what's jack in the box hiding under that big head? grease burns? .. . a mellow brew but ridiculously overpriced for what you get, a standard ipa... i love freedom..

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Another solid offering outta Chico CA, Estate pours a burnt copper colored body, o.k. cap and lace. Aroma of wet hops, really piney with some citrus, also a sweet maltiness shows up. Flavor was much the same as the flavor with a lingering bitterness that wasnt overwhelming but plesant. Mouthfeel was medium and a little chewy, overall it was pretty good stuff.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Don't know if this was the precursor to SN's ESB or not but either way it was really, really good. Aroma was full of classic pine, hop resin and citrus/grapefruit zest really showed up as well. A subtle sweet aroma, reminded me a bit of toffee. Flavor has the intense, fresh hop flavor like chewing on a cascade hop pellet. Spicy and citrusy, with enough malt character to keep things in check. What ever SN is doing, hope they can keep it up!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Sierra Nevada dual beer tasting Abby, Ben & I had a 24 oz. Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale "fresh hop ale" (Spring 2008 release) side by side with a Sierra Nevada 12th release Harvest Ale "wet hop ale" (fall 2008 release). Although they were significantly different in character, we each had a hard time deciding which was better. The concensus was that the wet hop ale was smoother, with a better mouthfeel, and the fresh hop ale was more bitter & slightly more aromatic. All 3 of us gave a slight edge to the 12th release wet hop ale, scored as follows... Ben 12th Ann. Wet Hop B SH Fresh Hop B Abby 12th Ann. Wet Hop B+ SH Fresh Hop B Chris 12th Ann. Wet Hop B+ (ever so close to an A-) SH Fresh Hops B So...both were good beers for hopheads...the fall release wet hop ale averaging a B+, and the fresh hop ale getting a B from each of us. The scores I gave were particularly high considering I'm not a HUGE Sierra Nevada Fan. There is a common thread in all their regular beers that make them seem very unspectacular...but I am finding that many of their seasonals & special releases are a whole 'nother story. 2009 release-price goes way up (nearly $10) still good but not quite worth the coin good, but not overly impressive in subsequent releases.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottle shared by Robert at State Line. Pour was amber-orangey, decent head and lacing, typical for the style. The aroma was hops, pine, some citrus, resinous and earthy notes too. The flavor followed the aroma, some grass and earthy elements round out the profile, slightly musty (in a nice way), all just great citrus/piney stuff in the fore. Finishes oily and bitter, guess that's the "wet hopping," darned bitter. Full caramel, woodsy, almost toasty and nutty malty profile.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Tasted at the 2008 Bistro Wet Hop Festival 10/4/2008. This IPA pours a medium amber color from the tap. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is floral and earthy. A medium bodied IPA. The malts are fruity and caramel, slightly sweet. The hops are earthy. Nice balance. Mild bitterness. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet with a touch of bitterness.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

I’m just finding my notes. I had this on tap at either Pizza Port or the Stone 10th party; I don’t remember... Dark amber pour, medium white head, some hop flavor.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

I have had this at the brewery a couple of times. When you drive up, (if you are coming from the highway) you can see where the hops are grown for this beer. It is quite tasty, not a strong hop beer, like an IPA, but you can certainly taste what these freshly grown in this California Pale Ale style brew. While I wouldn't make a road trip to go taste this, but if you are ever in Chico, or you find it near you, give it a try, you won't be upset you did.