2012 Fresh Hop Harvest (Santiam)
Big Al Brewing

 

 

A bomber bottle. Pours a cloudy, very nice dark caramel with some ruby colors. A very thin head. Sour cherry notes, some pine, a bit of a bready, yeasty funk odor. Clean tasting, and tart: sour cherries, unripened grapefruit rind, not much else I can discern. This one will make you pucker a bit. Not too carbonated, and no lacing happening from this bottle.

Appearance has a dark amber color leaving thin dissipating head and nil lace. smell of sweet caramel malts with a light roast and floral hops. Taste doesn't have the sweetness as in the aroma with more of stale hops coming through thats a little sour in the end. Mouthfeel is medium with mild carbonation. Could have been at room temperature for awhile before thrown in the cooler before I bought it.

Pours cloudy amber brown color with a small ¼ inch thick creamy tan head that faded fast and left good lacing and rings as it went down; wasn’t sure if the fresh hops would create better lacing, so the average look was acceptable.

Smells of malt, wet cardboard, caramel, cherry, plum or other dark fruits, yeast and faint sour grapes; the hops didn’t bother to show up, but the musky old trunk in an attic smell did.

Tastes like it smells, with sweet malt, wet bread or wet cardboard, herbs, caramel, cherry, plum or other dark fruits, yeast, light floral hops and faint sour grapes; the hops were so timid that I’m not sure where all the fresh hop presence went. It tasted OK, but is totally misnamed and unfortunately the taste is misleading since there is no fresh hop experience in this bottle.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, with very little to almost no carbonation, a watery feel with a medium chewy body and a malty overall flavor.

I took a gamble with this one based on the title and I lost; it was a dull/average beer, and while it may fit the ESB profile, anyone who thinks that they are getting a true fresh hopped beer will think it sucked. This was very disappointing.

Good to see Big Al bottling, even if it is the ridiculous 22oz format. This beer could have been entered in a couple different style categories, if anyone feels the need to change it, go ahead. Poured into 10oz goblet. Poured a nice rich brown color with just a thin cap of of off-white head that had low retention and no lace. A bunch of tight, tiny bubbles did cling to the sides throughout the beer however.

The aroma was a soft blend of malts.without the expected hop blast. There were also notes of leather and tobacco. The hops were present in the background, just much more subdued than anticipated. On the tongue, things started out the same, but quickly blossomed nicely. The earthy malts with the associated flavors noted above, were boldened by a sharp hop blast on the finish.

The body was very nice, full, even, smooth and well-balanced with a nicely dry finish. Drinkability was good, If I had been able to buy a sixer, I would have knocked back 2-3 right away. Overall, a nice brew. Not the typical taste-bud attack of most FH brews, but a nice, subtle brew that's worth taking your time with. It's nice to a fresh hop beer that's something other than a Pale or IPA. A must try if you see it.