Harvest Fresh Hop IPA - Southern Hemisphere
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Harvest Fresh Hop IPA - Southern HemisphereHarvest Fresh Hop IPA - Southern Hemisphere
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
6.7%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 9.9%
Reviews:
1,347
Ratings:
3,108
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 25, 2021
Added:
May 07, 2008
Wants:
  95
Gots:
  229
This ale marks our journey to the only place on the planet where fresh hops are harvested in our spring, the Southern Hemisphere. Our task was daunting-we needed to get the hops picked, dried, flown halfway across the world and into our brew kettle in a little over a week’s time. The result is a North-by-South fusion of fresh New Zealand hops blended with the finest North American malts. Its robust hop character presents an intriguing floral-citrus aroma leading to layers of fresh-hop spiciness. Enjoy!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mdaschaf:
Photo of mdaschaf
Reviewed by mdaschaf from Indiana

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Review from notes. For some reason, this beer had been eluding me for some time. Finally found it at a store and grabbed it.

A: Poured a nice copper/orange color, slighty hazy in color. A white head formed on top, bery foamy and thick, about 1.5 fingers in height. Really nice retention and sticky lacing.

S: The aroma was very fresh, lots of pine, orange, orange rind, grapefruit, and cut grass. These aromas are what I love about IPAs. There is just a bit of caramel to balance it a bit.

T: The flavor profile is similar to the aroma. A good pit of resiny pine, some grapefruit and orange, as well as a good bit of orange peel and zest. The malt balances the hop bitterness nicely with some caramelized malt and biscuit. There is a slight onion flavor though that knocks it down slightly for me. Otherwise great.

M: Medium bodied with a nice level of carbonation. Very crisp and clean, with a dry/bitter finish.

O: An impressive IPA, one of the better I have had recently, and would be enjoyed by any hophead.
Aug 01, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.06 by TwilightBeerCareer from Illinois

Nov 25, 2021
Photo of LesDewitt4beer
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
These are tasting notes from 2009. It's the 2009 bottling and 2nd release of the beer.
Large bottle into a tasting glass.
L: deep orange and fairly clear. White head. Lacing.
S: colorful hops, fruity, some malts. Herbal.
T: floral firm New Zealand hops and rich caramel malts, lightly grassy.
F: Med bodied feel and med-long finish.
O: It is hoppy and lightly bitter in the finish. Very easy to drink.
Oct 13, 2021
Photo of 86sportster883
Reviewed by 86sportster883 from Maryland

4.09/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Vintage: 2008, 1st Release

Why would anyone wait 12 yrs. to open a ‘fresh hop ale’? No reason other than it got stored and mostly forgotten, then every time I saw it afterward, I thought, ‘well that’s got to be awful at this point‘, and so it sat till today. As I continue to work my way through the limited, but interesting beer stash from the past 20 yrs. (during my self imposed 2020 lockdown), this was a pleasant surprise.

I rolled the 24oz bottle vigorously to stir up the remnants of NZ hops that had collected at the base, prior to opening. The pssst of escaping CO2 on opening, assured me that the seal had survived the disintegration of a marriage, the loss of good friends, the raising of two kids now teens, and the peak and pending fall of American craft brew diversity and independent spirit. I say this prematurely, as the industry grapples with a new reality that no longer can support the shear volume required to keep everyone afloat. Survival will be the ongoing theme for most, and I thought it appropriate to crack open this throwback to a more promising time in the industry, and the continued expansion and success that has preceded this moment.

This poured a dark honey brown with lots of suspended bottle dregs and a rocky, dirty off white head that quickly faded. There’s a big malt nose that melds with a floral happiness that also fades to a rich malt dominated aroma that is both intriguing and inviting. The taste follows the nose but an assertive spicy, herbal or mineral hoppiness has prevailed to present and maintain a strong hop balance to rich malt flavors and aroma.

A most excellent beer overall, and obviously one that has stood up to the test of time.
Aug 08, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by BarrelAgedG from California

Apr 26, 2020
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.94/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From old undated notes. Had this on draft.

Deep orange color; see through.

Nice white head; strong lacing throughout.

Autumnal skunky nose. Medium mouthfeel.

Bitter hoppiness melts into just enough malt backbone. Hop forward and not as citrus-like as I usually enjoy, but this is a well crafted beer.
Oct 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.78 by grapeshops from California

Nov 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by JamesLeung from Florida

Aug 23, 2018
Photo of ClintGoodman
Rated by ClintGoodman from Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Exceptional
Aug 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.96 by Dada100 from New York

Aug 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by dbrown456 from Texas

Jun 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Feb 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by heysuz from Indiana

Feb 11, 2018
 
Rated: 3.52 by TheIPAHunter from California

Jan 30, 2018
 
Rated: 3 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.02 by wekoontz from Maine

Dec 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3.79 by TheCrowsEye from California

Dec 05, 2017
 
Rated: 3.9 by kdown from California

Dec 02, 2017
 
Rated: 4.03 by ManWithNoName from South Carolina

Nov 03, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by Bryan12345 from Texas

Mar 22, 2017
Harvest Fresh Hop IPA - Southern Hemisphere from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 3108 ratings