Monday, March 24, 2014

Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA Review



Name: Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%

Sierra Nevada Brewing has been releasing quite a few beers lately which focus on specific types of hops; Usually in the form of a 22oz. bomber bottle. Their latest creation utilizes a brand new experimental hop called ” Yakima” and is the sole hop style used in this single hop IPA. On the label, it calls itself a "100-Day IPA" and advises the drinker not to store it but drink it now, which leads me to believe that this is a fresh-hop IPA; 'Tis the season I suppose!

Harvest Single Hop pours a clear golden color with a thin foamy head. The visible carbonation is pretty mild and the lacing is abundant and sticky.

The aroma starts off with some strong cracked peppers & an earthy pale maltiness. On the back end are some fairly fruity notes which consist of blueberries, orange peel and citrus. The nose.....is interesting to say the least.

The flavor is very pepper forward with notes of bitter notes, blueberry fruitiness, orange peel and pale/earthy malts. The aftertaste is also quite bitter but not overwhelmingly so. The palate is more on the heavier side and the carbonation is more or less at a moderate level.

It's always fun and interesting to see what kind of hops can be developed and how they can be profiled to the general public. With that said, though, Yakima would not be my first choice for a single hop IPA. It's got an interesting flavor profile that would go great if paired with Cascade and/or Centennial Hops but I feel that it really needs other hops to help balance out the overall taste.

Still, it tastes decent and it's well-priced. I say try a bottle out (I only paid $4 for this) and decide for yourself.

Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA - 7/10

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