Harvest Ale IPA
Nodding Head Brewery

This arrived with a thick, creamy, off-white head above a beautiful copper-colored beer with magnificent clarity. It was nicely bitter in the mouth and on the finish. The mouthfeel was medium, which is about right for the style. Surprisingly, I noticed an interesting sweetness lingering at the end. It is worth noting that this was brewed using fresh Centennial hops that had been FedEx'd in from the West Coast.

11/05/05- On tap at the Toronado Wet Hopped Festival in San Francisco, CA.

Presentation- via 6oz samplers from the tap.

Appearance- Amber colored pour with a light rimmed head and nice lace.

Smell- This one didn't have a scent that really jumped out at you. But, when you were able to get your nose in there you can find some nice fruit scents from the hops.

Taste- This one is a super fruity and mellow IPA. Sweeter flavored hops with a nice subdued bitterness.

Mouthfeel- Creamy and a bit thick. Smooth as hell.

Drinkability- This one taste like a borderline Double IPA to me. Super smooth and very drinkable.

This was a confusing one. Here's how Nodding Head's menu described it:

"Hoppy amber ale made with fresh ('wet') hops... With a lighter body and less bitterness than a typical pale ale but with loads of hop flavor and aroma."

So bascially I was expecting an amber ale with a good dose of hops. Which I thought was an interesting concept. But really this is just an IPA. Well, I shouldnt say "just an IPA," because it was a good, quality beer, but I was under the impression I was trying some adventurous, hybrid style.

Looks & smells like your regular IPA - strong floral aroma, darker amber color, etc. Taste is strong with hops, but not too overpowering. Good bite in the mouthfeel. I'd probably have it again, but I wanted to try their "Goblin Grog" (see my review).