Hop Harvester NZIPA
Epic Brewing Company
- From:
- Epic Brewing Company
- New Zealand
- Style:
- American IPA
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- +9 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.08 | pDev: 0%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 30, 2017
- Added:
- Jun 30, 2017
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
The NZ Hop harvest is complete and the hops are now available, so it’s time to taste the 2017 NZ Hops as our new New Zealand IPA – Epic Hop Harvester.
Inspired by the Epic Team’s yearly trip to the Nelson hop growing region during hop harvest. This year we were down again for Hop Harvest at the Oldham’s Farm BBQing and drinking beers amongst the hops as they were being harvested.
Aroma of juicy fruit gum, passionfruit and a hint of freshly cut grass. The flavour hops are the hero of this beer with the tropical fruit and delicate sweet hint of malt sweetness. The beer is driven by Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops grown in NZ.
Inspired by the Epic Team’s yearly trip to the Nelson hop growing region during hop harvest. This year we were down again for Hop Harvest at the Oldham’s Farm BBQing and drinking beers amongst the hops as they were being harvested.
Aroma of juicy fruit gum, passionfruit and a hint of freshly cut grass. The flavour hops are the hero of this beer with the tropical fruit and delicate sweet hint of malt sweetness. The beer is driven by Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops grown in NZ.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)
4.08/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.08/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
When I read "Epic" and "Hop Harvest" in the same sentence, I skipped the bottle and went straight for a growler. There are few surer bets in life than the team at Epic putting harvest-fresh hops to good use; they are experts of the lupulin arts.
So when the brewer explains how the label is meant to capture the "dark green of the hop leaves, the pale green of the hop flowers, and the orange of the safety vests" I can't speak to that. I can, however, vouch for the beaming, clear and somewhat autumn-harvest golden tone and light froth of the liquid itself. Looks fantastic.
Hops are brilliant in so far as they can impersonate all sorts of flavours (citrus, flowers, herbs, tropical fruits) but when it comes to wet, fresh or new harvest hops I want to smell and taste those spicy, earthy, bitter little green cones for what they truly are: spicy, earthy, bitter little green cones. And this aroma delivers exactly that unapologetic dank pungency.
Aroma and flavour both exhibit whatever it was on the farm that so enthralled the brewers. It has notes of wet grass, pine forest, and shreds of bitter citrus pith. It's everything a hop-head craves without being too flash or over-the-top about it. And that sticky, resiny, slightly tropical taste plays to the caramelly malt that accompanies it.
6.5% and 45 IBU are by no means gigantic measurements - and this is by no means a big, intimidating beer despite the overwhelming expressions from fresh-picked Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops. It drinks effortlessly (and the aforementioned growler disappeared in no time). Clear evidence that you *can* have your IPA and drink it too.
To a lot of locals, Epic is so consistent as to be almost boring. As an outsider, I feel they take this brewery for granted. Pretty much every beer they put their name to has been solid - you won't find a more reliable option - and their (many, many) hoppy beers especially are bulletproof. It's no surprise to me Hop Harvester is as characterful, approachable and gulpable as it is.
Jun 30, 2017So when the brewer explains how the label is meant to capture the "dark green of the hop leaves, the pale green of the hop flowers, and the orange of the safety vests" I can't speak to that. I can, however, vouch for the beaming, clear and somewhat autumn-harvest golden tone and light froth of the liquid itself. Looks fantastic.
Hops are brilliant in so far as they can impersonate all sorts of flavours (citrus, flowers, herbs, tropical fruits) but when it comes to wet, fresh or new harvest hops I want to smell and taste those spicy, earthy, bitter little green cones for what they truly are: spicy, earthy, bitter little green cones. And this aroma delivers exactly that unapologetic dank pungency.
Aroma and flavour both exhibit whatever it was on the farm that so enthralled the brewers. It has notes of wet grass, pine forest, and shreds of bitter citrus pith. It's everything a hop-head craves without being too flash or over-the-top about it. And that sticky, resiny, slightly tropical taste plays to the caramelly malt that accompanies it.
6.5% and 45 IBU are by no means gigantic measurements - and this is by no means a big, intimidating beer despite the overwhelming expressions from fresh-picked Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops. It drinks effortlessly (and the aforementioned growler disappeared in no time). Clear evidence that you *can* have your IPA and drink it too.
To a lot of locals, Epic is so consistent as to be almost boring. As an outsider, I feel they take this brewery for granted. Pretty much every beer they put their name to has been solid - you won't find a more reliable option - and their (many, many) hoppy beers especially are bulletproof. It's no surprise to me Hop Harvester is as characterful, approachable and gulpable as it is.
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