Heron Ale
Nashoba Valley Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heron Ale begins with a nose that is simultaneously sweet and sour: brown sugars and light fruit esters (apple, pear) are countered by a tart hop and citrus aroma, the latter sporting more plant-vine notes that I normally expect.

On the tongue, the beer carries the same bipolar identity, the malts coming across in waves of brown sugar and toast with light fruit esters, but the hops providing a bitterness not normally present in hoppy brews, being somewhere between grapefruit rind and fresh grass, or perhaps rose petals. This bitterness is not a turnoff, however; it makes the beer quite intriguing, and the sugars are just tuned enough to prevent the bitterness from being overwhelming. Having said that, late in the mouthful the sugars do die off, and the hops take even more of a center stage. Here is where the bitterness reaches a peak that I suspect might drive off some, especially those unfamiliar with the ESB style. This bitterness lasts well into the aftertaste, which lingers for the better part of a minute. Mouthfeel is light, and carbonation is medium-light.

Overall, while I again suspect the brew's bitterness may prove unpalatable for some, I thought the beer good. Not great--this is the weakest of the Nashoba beers I've tried--but good.

I've been waiting for a new head brewer to overhaul their beers (again but this time for good and not bad), before I went back to try these again. After having the new bourbon barrel porter I'm excited to try these again.

Pours a light fizzy head covering over super hazy yeast chunked amber orange-rosy copper red color.

Nose of... well yeast. Loaded with yeast as if they used a Belgian yeast. I literally just bought this off the shelf at the brewery store 2 days ago so this is a little worrisome. Behind the overwhelming yeast is hints of some malts, slight toasty malt sweetness. I get just the faintest hint of hops in there somewhere, with a mild grassy tone, but not much else.

Taste is a little better at least. Comes with an ESB bitterness, some earthy U.K. style hops with a fairly herbal hop flavor. The bitterness adds a slight mineral flavor to it as well. Then comes light malts, a little bit of a rustic toasted malts. There is still plenty of yeast as well, not as overwhelming as the nose, but it does have some iffy yeast. A slight astringency as well. The finish comes with some more of the mineral and astringent earthy herbal bittern hops, and some light sweetness, and lots more yeast. It has a slight watery taste to it too somehow through all that.

The mouth is lighter bodied with very little carbonation, which is sad since there is so much yeast in it. It's somewhat watery too.

Drinkability is not so great, with all the lingering yeast taste, as well as astringent hops.

1 down, 4 more to go in my test of the new beers, this one not very good at all.

12oz. bottle purchased at the brewery/winery, poured into a perfect pint glass. Comes out a bright orange color, very hazy. It has a small white head that fades quickly, no lacing.

Smell is good, herbal and tea-like with some floral notes to it. Citrus hoppiness jumps out at you yet slightly sweat aromas as well. Malted barley and bready, a touch of Belgian yeast.

Taste is really good too. It tastes bitter, but bitter sweet. Citrus hoppiness again with some Belgian yeast to tie in with the malts. It's certainly a unique ESB. The hops are a bit sharper than several ESB's I've had. It's like a slightly weaker Southern Tier Harvest ale mixed with a belgian IPA, slightly sour. Unique, but good.

Mouthfeel is a slight step down, a bit too lite. Slightly complex with a bitter finish, slightly dry at the end. Drinkability is good.

I like this beer I'd get it again, truly unique beer.

had this one on tap during a tasting at the brewery. The smell was pretty average, here goes. Wow, excellent hop character, must be lost of dry hoping in here. Thus one can use a more substantial body, but the hops drove this one. Try it, It is easy drinking and a good hop fix for the hop heads out there. Solid beer

I visited the Nashoba Valley brewery and when I saw they had a stout on hand, I was hoping to score a six pack. But, they ran out. Must be good. So they had 3 styles left, and the heron ale was the best I tried from their tasting bar (holy cow that octoberfest was a disappointing). So I brought a sixer of the heron ale home.

The head is non-existent on this brew, even after pouring it right down the center, what head tries to develop fades away quickly.

Color is a foggy bronze, but not opaque.

I smelled more malts than hops, and some fruity notes. And I actually smelled some significant booziness, which is surprising for something that's not supposed to be boozy.

I tasted more hops than I noticed in the aroma. There are caramel malts and a bitter finish.

The brew is on the fence of being noticeably flat, as the carbonation is fairly low.

Overall, I didn't mind this beer at all, and enjoyed the 6 pack over the course of a week.

Thanks to jcwattsrugger for bringing this back from the brewery for me!

Pours slightly hazed orangeish amber with a very thin head that becomes a wide patch. Dotted lacing sticks.

The smell is tea-like, herbal, with slight citrus - some breadiness - slight caramel.

Tastes like a more bitter English bitter. Tea-like/herbal with slight caramel. It has a bitterish/aspirin-ish dryness in the finish. Hops impart a nice bitterness, but could be more flavourful.

Light-bodied with gentle carbonation. A lingering dryness gives it a "thirst-quenching" quality that led me to give the mf the higher of two scores I was between.

A more bitter ESB, with a distinct attempt at a stronger, hoppier English bitter.

This beer pours a clear orange/yellow body, with tons of rising bubbled carbonation and pillowy white head.

Nose is very fruity with only hints of caramel and soft breezy malt. Actually smells like the winery a bit, touches of apples and raspberries even. Maybe my nose is off. :-)

Taste is rather bitter at first, with a medium body. Lots of sharp bitter hop attacks. There's a natural funk yeast flavor that shines through, almost as if some of Nashoba valley's wine yeast made its way into the brew. Lots of toasted brown bread and caramel flavors, almost like burnt toast. Very woody and earthy hops, with vague hints of citrus. Again, very bitter and a bit over the top for the malt base. Ends with a lingering funky wine yeast and odd hop bitterness taste on the pallate.

The more Nashoba beers, and wines, I try, the more I see a pattern with their beers. They all have this very distinct yeast strain flavor(wine's and beers). It's interesting. Very new england sour apple sort of, funky natural yeast flavor. This beer is definitely an ESB, not an APA. Very hoppy and very in your face, but not quite as much as their IPA. Overall, it's a decent beer, but just has this weird flavor about it.

Looks just a bit light. Solid finger head, nice lacing.

Light piny hops. Fresh. Light citrus

Light malt. Feels like I have to search for the hop. Nothing standing out. Medium finish.

Nice in the mouth. Well balanced, night be a bit on the hot side considering the ABV vs character.

Not bad. Id have another if I didnt buy it. Not sure I would look for it. Averge+ local beer. Gets an extra .5 since its local to me.