Field to Ferment: Strata
Fremont Brewing Company

It's hard to distinguish these Field to Ferment beers, but they change every year and it's Strata hops this year. Pours a clear yellow-amber with plenty of foam in the Aventinus Weizenbier glass. The spicy taste is really inviting along with the herbal notes. It tastes green and fresh without being overly resiny, and it's certainly a moderate level of bitterness. Flavors of melon, sweet orange, and lemon finish. This is halfway between a Pale Ale and an IPA. Overall this is a great example of fresh hop aromatics with a slight rough edge yet highly aromatic. From the 16 oz can purchased in southern Calif. Dated 09/18/24.

 

16oz can purchased at Huckleberry's, in Spokane, WA, for $4.49. Canned on September 18, 2024, so not quite two weeks old.

Poured into a Fremont shaker pint glass, this was a clear, golden amber, with a good sized, creamy looking, bone-white head. Nice pattern of lace left on the sides of the glass.

Even accounting for the fact that my nose is a little off due to the dust and cleaning chemicals I've been exposed to on account of moving, this is leaving a pretty light impression on the workers at my olfactory. If I jam my nose to within centimeters of making it a snorkel, I get a little bit of a citrusy note.

Flavor is a bit more forward than the aroma. Citrusy and herbal Strata hop flavor, with a relatively unobtrusive, bready malt backbone.

Mouth feel managed to be both creamy and slightly oily and resiny.

Good, not great. It's certainly not the best f2f I've had from Fremont. Still, it's a nice pale ale. I'm not sure I'd choose it to drink again over a different similar style beer.

Taster at Bittercreek. Clear golden pour with spotty head. Aroma is hoppy, citrusy, floral, light. Taste provides a nice bitterness, fruity, malty, citrusy with floral notes. Soft but on point for the hop variety.