Scratch Beer 35 - 2010 (Fresh Hop Ale)
Tröegs Brewing Company

Scratch Beer 35 - 2010 (Fresh Hop Ale)Scratch Beer 35 - 2010 (Fresh Hop Ale)
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From:
Tröegs Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
7.2%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.1 | pDev: 7.07%
Reviews:
42
Ratings:
49
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 13, 2015
Added:
Oct 08, 2010
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
As the codename implies, the main flavor in Scratch #35 is a 100 pounds of fresh Citra hops. This year’s Oregon hop harvest took place in mid-September and we received the freshest, wettest Citra hops right off the vine. Opening the boxes of fresh hops, we were blown away at the strength and color of this Oregonian green gold. Our hopback was not large enough to accommodate all the hops so we added them to the lauter tun and ran the hot wort through the hops. Pouring a cloudy gold-orange color, Scratch #35 yields an arresting blend of ripe orange and grapefruit aromas with just enough bitterness to balance the sweetness imparted by the honey. Kettle additions of Amarillo and Palisade hops nicely complement the fresh hops. As this beer is a celebration of hops at their freshest, drink this one as soon as possible for maximum enjoyment.

65 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by yeahnatenelson:
Photo of yeahnatenelson
Reviewed by yeahnatenelson from Illinois

3.54/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Big thanks to Jwiss22 for the extra. Cheers, pal!

Appearance -- pours a medium amber with mild haze and nearly no head with a moderate pour.

Smell -- Orange, tangerine, and apricot in the forefront. Grapefruit pith bitterness underlay with some husky grain and a caramel malt backbone. Some buttery diacetyl and a bit of spiciness as well. Not the hoppy explosion I was hoping for, but that's likely due to age.

Taste -- The hops are a bit all over the place. Bright citrus as in the nose, but with much more grapefruit presence as well as a lot of grassy hop flavor and some spice. Hop bitterness is pretty pronounced in the finish, with an almost medicinal flavor in the back - what was this hopped with again?

Mouthfeel -- Medium in body, a bit syrupy, with milder carbonation. Pretty easy-drinking.

Drinkability -- Something tells me I may have missed the boat on this wet hop IPA. Was hoping for this to be like Citra of Brotherly Love cranked to 11, but not so much. Still, a decent Scratch beer and another quality Tröegs.
Nov 09, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.02 by Baab200 from New York

Jun 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by JAHMUR from Connecticut

Oct 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by t0rin0 from California

Mar 04, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by augie from Pennsylvania

Mar 22, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Tyrawlings from Ohio

Feb 16, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Feb 11, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of thagr81us
Reviewed by thagr81us from South Carolina

4.02/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Big thanks goes out to crashdavisinoh for sending me this one in a past trade! Served from bottle into a Surly Darkness snifter. Poured a golden yellow-orange with a one finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, caramel, and citrus hop. The flavor was of sweet malt, caramel, citrus, citrus hop, and sweet alcohol. It had a medium feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty tasty brew. This one was a little old for the style but the malt backbone was very strong and flavorful. The hops were still present at the time of consumption though. Pretty good aroma going on here as well. Really glad I got the chance to try this one and you should try to as well even with some age on it.
May 04, 2011
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
finally able to track this one down i was thrilled to be able to pour it into a glass last night. served chilled.

the pour was a nice and lively light amber that had a head of about two inches that quickly faded as time went on and left just a shadow of itself in its wake, but a very solid look. aroma is still very hoppy with juicy citrus coming through still and a slight balancing of malt that peaks its head around the corner, but over very well done. crisp and clean the pineapple and orange notes are still very apprarent and really dominate the flavor, clean with a dryness in the finish that really lets the profile shine. really impressive overall and a smooth easy drinker.

overall i was impressed it was still as good as it was this far in but it has held up quite nicely. much thanks to the ba who fridge kept this one for me.
Feb 06, 2011
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

4.07/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Three months in the bottle at this point, not overly optimistic but I still have two left, the Steelers are looking horrible so, why not?

A-Lightly hazed golden yellow color with a medium off white head that reduced to a thin cap and left light lacing.

S-For a three month old fresh hop brew this one is still fairly impressive. Almost bordering on giving this a 4.5 I brought myself back to reality and realized that while it still displays a bold hop spicy citrus kick it is not what it use to be.

T-Herbal, citrus (orange rind) and spicy hop notes shine through the balancing lightly sweet biscuit malt bill. While the bright citrus characteristic has fallen off this one still retains a healthy bite.

M-Medium-light bodied fairly sharp with a good lingering spicy hop bite.

D- Very drinkable after "all" this time! Out of the plethora of IPA's that Troegs has been bombarding us with lately this one ranks as my favorite. I know fresh hop brews are not able to be made year round but still...tweak some recipes and make this one a full timer (or at least a seasonal)!
Jan 15, 2011
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Warwick on 1/7/11 during the Troegs tap takeover. At 3 months old at this point, I was hesitant yet excited to give this brew a try.

Served in a pint, this brew appears a very hazed golden yellow color. 2 fingers of creamy, almost silky nitro looking head forms across the top of the brew. As the cap recedes, it laces in a thick coating all over the glassware and overall retains awesome. I can't help but attribute the extra cloudiness to the fact that the keg was just put on tap after 3 months of sitting idle and this was one of the first two pours.

The aroma of this brew is impressive. It still displays bold hop characteristics smelling grassy and earthy with a bit of spice and citrus kick. For being a 3 month old IPA, this isn't as "bright" smelling as it use to be but it is still very good.

The taste of this brew is herbal and moderately bitter with a grass and citrus-like resinous cling that is minorly reminiscent of rind. Some grainy sweetness provides a nice backbone to this brew but the main character is still the flavor of the hops. For more than 7% abv, it is hidden quite well.

This is a medium to light bodied brew with a feel that is smooth and creamy with a moderate amount of lively carbonation. Very drinkable, I would have loved to drink a few more of these but this was the first of the kegs to kick. After having this brew and the scratch IPA lineup of 37-40 later, I have to tip my hat to this brew being 3 months old and better than the fresher IPA releases.
Jan 10, 2011
Photo of FeDUBBELFIST
Reviewed by FeDUBBELFIST from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bottle to pint glass. Released 10/7/10, reviewed on 10/27. Bottle to pint glass. $4.00 for the single.

A: One finger of creamy white head sits with decent retention above a cloudy, golden orange body. Medium saturation with a transparency around 80%. Lacing is good to excellent.

S: I love Citra, and I love that Tröegs uses 100 pounds of fresh, wet Citra hops for this beer. The nose is bursting with citrus, and while the aroma is good, it isn't nearly as impressive as I expected it to be. Maybe the kettle additions of Amarillo and Palisade interfered with the beauty of pure Citra? (Maybe not also but) Its my opinion that Citra does not need the support of any other aroma-type cultivars. Light fusels are detectable.

T: The flavor is slightly better than the nose suggested. Extremely citrusy and juicy. However, the caramel malt backbone seems to be firmer than needed, and it detracts from the hop presence. While grapefruit dominated the nose, clementine and peach are at the pinnacle of flavor, piquing midpalate, and then returning to grapefruit for a bitter finish.

M: Above average bitterness is countered by succulent fruitiness and a honey infused sweetness. The texture is extremely lush and smooth and compliments the fullness of the body as well as the creaminess of the carbonation.

D: Very good overall but I think Tröegs most successful use of Citra hops thus far has been Scratch 31. If it wasn't blasphemous to dry-hop a wet-hopped ale, I would have suggested doing that as a possible improvement.
Jan 02, 2011
Photo of Mora2000
Reviewed by Mora2000 from Texas

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to StormKing47 for sending me this bottle.

The beer pours a golden color with a white head. The aroma is heavy on the pine and resin with some biscuit malt also present.

The flavor is very similar to the aroma. In addition to some pine, resin and biscuit flavors, I get some orange citrus mixed in. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Nothing special, but a very solid IPA.
Dec 20, 2010
Photo of Hojaminbag
Reviewed by Hojaminbag from Colorado

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer came to me from GabrielM in Secret Santa 2010. Thanks a lot Gabe.

Scratch 35 Fresh Hop pours a hazy yellow-gold color and has a ton of carbonation bubbles. Some particles float around, giving me the impression that this IPA is unfiltered. The head is about a finger and a half tall, and is white and thick and creamy looking. The retention is good, as a thin cap of foam remains the entire time I drink. The lacing is also very good; it coats the glass in sheets.

The aroma has a good hop character to it, mixing a zesty orange sent with lots of grass. Caramel malt pops up also.

This is a beer that tastes better than it smells, and it reminds me just a little bit of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, which is one of my favorites. First up comes a powerful hop flavor in the form of earthy flavors and fresh cut grass. Next comes more hops, but this time they are bright, citrus hops. Bitter grapefruit follows an orange flavor. The finish has just a bit of caramel malt, but the malt bill is more grainy than anything, so I would guess that pale malt is more prevalent in this beer.

The body is a little lighter than medium, but the hops still manage to make the beer a little bit dry.

This is a great IPA for lovers of fresh hops. Given the chance I would have bought an entire case of this beer and drank the whole thing happily.
Dec 19, 2010
Photo of Brez07
Reviewed by Brez07 from Maine

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This was 1 of 4 Scratch beers I got from Secret Santa BIF. 12oz bottle poured into an Allagash 25cl glass

A: Translucent light orange hue. Some head with the pour but doesn't last that long. Scant lacing at the top of the glass

S: Fresh pine from the hops. There is a flowery presence. Some sweetness provided from the malt. Some bread crust

T: Lots of hop flavor. Mostly pine but there is some flower and citrus. Nice bitter flavor that lingers until the next sip

M: Medium bodied. Refreshing, carbonated well. Leaves a piney bitter finish

D: Enjoyed this beer very much. Fresh hop IPAs might be my favorite in the style. Would not have known this was 7%
Dec 19, 2010
Photo of RonfromJersey
Reviewed by RonfromJersey from New Jersey

4.27/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pale golden body, hazy, heavy with floaties, topped by three fingers of level bib bubbly snow white froth.

Sharp citrus aroma, heavy with orange, backed by grapefruit.

Sweet malt strip down the tongue, surrounded by juicy citrus everywhere. Plenty of orange. Nice strong hop bite at the swallow. Lingering citrus and bitterness.

Medium mouthfeel with a healthy tingle. Highly drinkable, this one, and the next one.

Bright and fresh, Troegs should do a Fresh/Wet Hop each year.
Dec 18, 2010
Photo of ekardz
Reviewed by ekardz from New York

4.37/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
An aggressive pour leaves a 3 finger head that slowly recedes and leaves lacing on the glass. A medium amount of carbonation, yellow-gold color, looks interesting. Smells earthy, citrusuy, floral, grapefruit, maybe some pineapple. Delicious citrus flavor grapefruit, floral, tastes like it smells. Medium bodied - lots of fruit notes with a semi dry finish and moderate carbonation. Very drinkable. Hope they make this into a year round/regular beer. Would definitely drink again!
Dec 16, 2010
Photo of krisandajt
Reviewed by krisandajt from Pennsylvania

3.92/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I completely forgot I had this brew...big thanks to number1bum for hooking me up with this. I can't possibly begin to imagine the degrading debauchery he had to go through to acquire this...

Appearance: Poured from the bottle, this brew is a cloudy, sediment-y, dull golden color with a nice inch and a half worth of off-white head. Doesn't look too bad, but the color is a bit disappointing.

Smell: Much hoppier than I would have though. Ripe grapefruit with just a hint of sweetness. Really enjoyable.

Taste: The ripe grapefruit from the nose is pretty apparent, but milder than I would have thought given its potency in the nose. There's a more pronounced sweet, bready malt presence to provide plenty of balance.

Mouthfeel: Ample carbonation, crisp feel, but a bit thin in the body.

Drinkability: A tasty and drinkable brew. I wish I would have remembered I had this and tried it when it was a bit fresher, but it's pretty good nonetheless. If you can get one, drink it.
Dec 10, 2010
Photo of Kkottonmouthkngz
Reviewed by Kkottonmouthkngz from Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
one of the several scratch gifts from stakem, thank you sir!
pours a cloudy orange with minimal head that goes down quickly, leaves a little bit of lacing.
smells like big grassy grapefruit hops, some lemon and orange zest, bit of sweetness.
tastes quite nice. i actually get bubblegum in some sense. its a good blend of above mentioned aspects and the hops hit just right. it does have a bit of an alcohol bite on the finish, which is neither bad nor terribly exciting. its rather dry and bitter but not so much that i dont want to keep drinking more and more. however drinkability just misses a perfect because perhaps after a few, i could see myself having to switch up to a different beer.
overall very nice beer.
Dec 10, 2010
Scratch Beer 35 - 2010 (Fresh Hop Ale) from Tröegs Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 49 ratings