I remember Sierra Nevada as my first IPA. This is back when
India Pale Ales and that green/weedy/lemony thing were a novelty to most
Americans. Now, I dare say, there’s a hops explosion in the world of
non-supermarket beer.
It only makes sense that Sierra Nevada also introduces me to
“wet hops” beers. Usually, IPAs are brewed with dried flower clusters of Humulus Lupulus. (Yeah, I googled it.) You know, those things on the beer label that look like pine cones. Sierra Nevada
swears this Northern Hemisphere Harvest is made with hops that are in the
brewery within 24 hours of picking. In other words, this is a once-a-year beer.
On the pour, you get a dark-tan ale with a hint of red and a
sturdy off-white head. (When I first poured, I swear I saw a hint of green, but
that must be wishful thinking.) The aroma is hoppy, as you’d expect, with a
powerful citrus note.
What I taste is an exceptionally-grassy IPA – almost, but
not quite, bitter to the point of unpleasantness. There’s serious lemon notes,
a little black tea bitterness, maybe even rose, black pepper ... and hops, hops, hops. Malt sweetness cuts the green, but there’s serious resin
here.
As Frank’s RedHot is to Tabasco, so is Sierra Nevada IPA to
Northern Hemisphere Harvest. This shouldn’t be your first IPA, but if you’re
not getting the same rush you felt from your first time, Northern Hemisphere is
an interesting novelty. 6.7% ALC
I was given a bottle of this as a gift (thanks again, you know who you are)! After allowing it to chill over night in the fridge I popped the bottle open and pored my first glass.
ReplyDeleteI was suprised at the color, did not expect it to be as amber as it was, and the flavor was classic Sierra Nevada IPA with a kick from the wet hopping process.
Over all I enjoyed the beer greatly. After finishing this 24 oz bottle I finished the night with a Henery Weinhard's Woodland Pass IPA, a beer that gets its hops from the same general region!
A good day!
Welcome to the party!
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