420 Strain Jack Herer Harvest Ale
SweetWater Brewing Company
- From:
- SweetWater Brewing Company
- Georgia, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
- ABV:
- 6.75%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.72 | pDev: 8.6%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 13
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 20, 2021
- Added:
- Oct 03, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
Jack Herer Harvest Ale is our version of a hoppy red IPA, with aroma and flavor notes of pine, citrus, orange and a hint of pepper fit for the original Emperor himself. Brewed and enjoyed in memory of Jack Herer.
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Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida
3.43/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
The next offereing out of the variety pack...
...decent enough. This one doesn't have that strong, almost bitter taste of the "strain" that the original version provides. Instead, it is a bit muted and it slightly more fruity, with hop flavor coming through more so. Decent enough.
Mar 07, 2021...decent enough. This one doesn't have that strong, almost bitter taste of the "strain" that the original version provides. Instead, it is a bit muted and it slightly more fruity, with hop flavor coming through more so. Decent enough.
Rated by southerner2 from Georgia
3.67/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I can't put my finger on it. Different for sure. I'm glad I tried it.
Feb 19, 2021
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania
4.1/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
SweetWater Brewing Co. "420 Strain Jack Herer Harvest Ale"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle "BEST IF ENJOYED BY: 12/21/20 B0944"
$2.29 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Notes via stream of consciousness: This is labeled as a "malt beverage with natural flavors" but I don't see anything else listed that might be from a "natural flavor" - "pine, citrus, orange, and a hint of pepper"? Let's find out... it's a mostly clear dark copper color beneath a 3" tall head of off white foam. The aroma is pretty bright with notes of orange, sugar, soft pine, and bready malt. I'm going to guess that the orange is coming from the "natural flavors". The head has dropped to a more accessibly sized cap of rocky foam so let me give it a taste... it's rich on both the malt and hops. The first thing I got were the citrusy and piney flavors before the malt came through. It's biscuity, toasty, caramelish, and spicy. The caramel is what I'd cal both medium and medium dark. It finishes dry, bitter, peppery, earthy, piney, and herbal. It's pretty intense. Beers like this used to be all over the place but now they've mainly been retired so it's nice to get to drink one again. In the mouth it's medium bodied and crisp, accentuating the bitterness. I still have a solid surface covering of creamy foam. It's about an eight of an inch thick, and the lacing that it's left behind is pretty solid. I'm not sure what else I can say about this one. It's well made, well balanced, and aggressive. Worth trying.
Review #7,196
Feb 05, 202112 fl. oz. brown glass bottle "BEST IF ENJOYED BY: 12/21/20 B0944"
$2.29 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Notes via stream of consciousness: This is labeled as a "malt beverage with natural flavors" but I don't see anything else listed that might be from a "natural flavor" - "pine, citrus, orange, and a hint of pepper"? Let's find out... it's a mostly clear dark copper color beneath a 3" tall head of off white foam. The aroma is pretty bright with notes of orange, sugar, soft pine, and bready malt. I'm going to guess that the orange is coming from the "natural flavors". The head has dropped to a more accessibly sized cap of rocky foam so let me give it a taste... it's rich on both the malt and hops. The first thing I got were the citrusy and piney flavors before the malt came through. It's biscuity, toasty, caramelish, and spicy. The caramel is what I'd cal both medium and medium dark. It finishes dry, bitter, peppery, earthy, piney, and herbal. It's pretty intense. Beers like this used to be all over the place but now they've mainly been retired so it's nice to get to drink one again. In the mouth it's medium bodied and crisp, accentuating the bitterness. I still have a solid surface covering of creamy foam. It's about an eight of an inch thick, and the lacing that it's left behind is pretty solid. I'm not sure what else I can say about this one. It's well made, well balanced, and aggressive. Worth trying.
Review #7,196
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Texas
2.88/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
2.88/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
12 fl oz pull-tab can from a 12-pack variety box ($14.99 USD plus tax at Total Wine & More, Metairie, Louisiana, USA).
"Hoppy red ESB ale." 6.7% ABV. "Malt beverage with natural flavors." 45 IBUs.
Malt Bill:
2 Row, Wheat, Rye, Carapils, Chocolate
Hops:
Centennial, Cascade, Amarillo
Dry Hop:
Centennial, Amarillo
I get some faint rye malt spiciness, but not much. Doesn't taste like amber malt at all. Orange peel, buttery flavour (diacetyl?), hop bitterness. I don't get much resinous flavour from the Amarillo and I find zero pine/floral character from the Centennial...it's pretty disappointing hopwise for a beer billed on their website as "our version of a hoppy red IPA" - lacking any amber malts and failing to showcase the hop varietals used. It doesn't evoke Cannabis, either, for those who come to SweetWater for that reason alone (or who, like me, expect it in a beer with the term "420 Strain" in its name).
It doesn't taste like pepper at all, contrary to their advertising. I don't detect the wheat malt either. Chocolate malt I do find when I look for it.
It's not much of red IPA but it's okay as an American stab at an ESB, if only because it's not too dull in terms of depth of flavour and isn't riddled with buttery diacetyl.
A shrug of a beer that's pretty forgettable in the end, but I've had far worse beers in variety 12-packs...I guess I hoped for more of SweetWater's cannabis gimmickry, which I enjoy so much in their G13 Strain IPA and other similar brews. Why call this 420 Strain if you aren't going to deliver the Cannabis flavour?
C / AVERAGE
Jan 30, 2021"Hoppy red ESB ale." 6.7% ABV. "Malt beverage with natural flavors." 45 IBUs.
Malt Bill:
2 Row, Wheat, Rye, Carapils, Chocolate
Hops:
Centennial, Cascade, Amarillo
Dry Hop:
Centennial, Amarillo
I get some faint rye malt spiciness, but not much. Doesn't taste like amber malt at all. Orange peel, buttery flavour (diacetyl?), hop bitterness. I don't get much resinous flavour from the Amarillo and I find zero pine/floral character from the Centennial...it's pretty disappointing hopwise for a beer billed on their website as "our version of a hoppy red IPA" - lacking any amber malts and failing to showcase the hop varietals used. It doesn't evoke Cannabis, either, for those who come to SweetWater for that reason alone (or who, like me, expect it in a beer with the term "420 Strain" in its name).
It doesn't taste like pepper at all, contrary to their advertising. I don't detect the wheat malt either. Chocolate malt I do find when I look for it.
It's not much of red IPA but it's okay as an American stab at an ESB, if only because it's not too dull in terms of depth of flavour and isn't riddled with buttery diacetyl.
A shrug of a beer that's pretty forgettable in the end, but I've had far worse beers in variety 12-packs...I guess I hoped for more of SweetWater's cannabis gimmickry, which I enjoy so much in their G13 Strain IPA and other similar brews. Why call this 420 Strain if you aren't going to deliver the Cannabis flavour?
C / AVERAGE
Reviewed by hoptheology from South Dakota
3.94/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.94/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle into Southern Grist pink logo snifter.
Best by 12/17/20
A pretty dark caramel color but somewhat transparent, with a creamy off-white head of 1 finger.
Aroma from the bottle is sweet apple and cannaibs; aroma from the glass is even more cannabis, stiff grain, and citrus hops.
Flavor is sweet orange, bread crusts, grapefruit, hemp, caramel squares, pine, and peaches.
Feel is clingy, with lots of resin and a touch of mild alcohol. Moderate carb, moderate body.
Overall, not a bad addition to the 420 series. I'd probably pick it up again.
Price paid : $1.99 / bottle
Would buy again : sure
Jan 18, 2021Best by 12/17/20
A pretty dark caramel color but somewhat transparent, with a creamy off-white head of 1 finger.
Aroma from the bottle is sweet apple and cannaibs; aroma from the glass is even more cannabis, stiff grain, and citrus hops.
Flavor is sweet orange, bread crusts, grapefruit, hemp, caramel squares, pine, and peaches.
Feel is clingy, with lots of resin and a touch of mild alcohol. Moderate carb, moderate body.
Overall, not a bad addition to the 420 series. I'd probably pick it up again.
Price paid : $1.99 / bottle
Would buy again : sure
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania
3.67/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a bronze color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of dank weed. Taste is of malts, some piney hops, and yes, plenty of weed. Feels medium/full bodied in the mouth and overall it's very different for the style, but it's an enjoyable beer.
Dec 24, 2020Reviewed by BeerDawgs from Georgia
4.12/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L - Amber and 1 full finger of head and lots of lace left on the glass
S - Bready malty
T - Malty dominates, tasty ESB
F - Medium body and carbonation
O - Not getting much of the 420 in this one, but good brew
Dec 20, 2020S - Bready malty
T - Malty dominates, tasty ESB
F - Medium body and carbonation
O - Not getting much of the 420 in this one, but good brew
Reviewed by Chickenhawk9932 from Pennsylvania
3.93/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a nice reddish amber with a cream colored head that leaves copious amounts of lace.
Rich roasted malt and citrus and pine hops with earthy dank undertones.
Malty whole wheat bread gives way to a dominant hop flavor citrus, pine, ends dry and slightly nutty.
Dec 13, 2020Rich roasted malt and citrus and pine hops with earthy dank undertones.
Malty whole wheat bread gives way to a dominant hop flavor citrus, pine, ends dry and slightly nutty.
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina
3.75/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours into a standard pint a clear bronze color with a billowing full one finger cloud-like slight off white head atop.Aromas are more or less dominated by the "strain" over top of some caramel malts and a sharp citric note.On the dryer side flavor-wise,earthy and quite bitter with more of the stran lingering in the finish,very drinkable.It goes down easy but lacks a little depth in aromas and flavor although less so in the latter,not bad.
Nov 13, 2020
Reviewed by jkrich from Florida
3.74/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a freshness dated 12 oz. bottle: beautiful, almost garnet pour with a sustained, foamy off-white head.
This one is quite aromatic, almost dank, but not quite so - pungent pine and mixed with some citrus as well as a faint leathery aroma.
Those hops come through with full force upon the first sip as the palate is assaulted by the aggressive pine and fairly strong citrus in the aftertaste; definitely not for the faint-hearted. While hops are the showcase, there is a tangy, sweet malt presence that only slightly offsets that hop profile. A final note on the flavor: that earthy aftertaste of mushrooms detracts from the overall flavor profile.
This medium-bodied ale has a full and hearty hoppy mouthfeel with just enough carbonation to add some zest. The bittersweetness lingers pleasantly on the palate.
This is a very nice effort by Sweetwater, though I have to say I am not sure they know what they have brewed: their website refers to this as a red IPA while the bottle calls it an ESB.
Oct 31, 2020This one is quite aromatic, almost dank, but not quite so - pungent pine and mixed with some citrus as well as a faint leathery aroma.
Those hops come through with full force upon the first sip as the palate is assaulted by the aggressive pine and fairly strong citrus in the aftertaste; definitely not for the faint-hearted. While hops are the showcase, there is a tangy, sweet malt presence that only slightly offsets that hop profile. A final note on the flavor: that earthy aftertaste of mushrooms detracts from the overall flavor profile.
This medium-bodied ale has a full and hearty hoppy mouthfeel with just enough carbonation to add some zest. The bittersweetness lingers pleasantly on the palate.
This is a very nice effort by Sweetwater, though I have to say I am not sure they know what they have brewed: their website refers to this as a red IPA while the bottle calls it an ESB.
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