Freshie
Berryessa Brewing Co

 

 

 

2020 version only about a week old since canning.
From lupulo.
Pretty light yellow. Fluffy head and lace.
Dank with some bready malt in the nose.
Dank/grass flavor.
Medium/thin and dry.
Overall: solid for a fresh hop strata pale ale. If they labeled it a DIPA it would be weak but as a basic pale it hits the mark.

Had this at the Sierra Nevada Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild festival on the grounds behind the brewery.

Pours golden, 1/3" white head, light haze to it, prolly from the hops moreso than the grain bill. The aroma smells of both proprietary down under hops (dank, Mosaic like pungency) alongside a more familiar Chinook/Centennial kind of pine like forest push. At a festival of somewhat underwhelming hop aromas, this one was one of the better noses.

Taste was pretty good, this is what I look for in a single/wet/fresh hop beer, a very basic neutral profile otherwise (malt, yeast, water) as a showcase for the hops, be they a single variety, fresh or wet. I like the mix of old and new school here. I don't think its a single hop beer, I think we got one of each. Other than that, its pretty remarkable how no other aspect really interferes with the hop notes, which IMHO, is the kind of recipe on paper and execution that I'm looking for.

On top of that, Berryessa cranks out some pretty good hoppy beers, I hope the fire(s) have not impacted them too much bc I'm a big Berryessa fan, love jumping in cold ass Putah Creek and hitting up this place for some hops. And oh yeah, this was listed at 5%.

this year was a disappointing one for wet hop beers, perhaps some of the varietals out there more than usual are not the best in that context, but more than anything, i think some of the beers got a bit ambitious, what ever happened to the simple wet hopped pale ale or ipa, now its some brett saison with wet hops post fermentation, or some imperial red with wet hops, even fruited sours with wet hops, its all cool, but none of it resonated much for me. this is back to basics, a simple beer designed to showcase the fresh hops, and i really appreciated it for that. a nice clean simple biscuity malt base with a slight honey note to it is all we get in the mash, and its fermented with a classic california type ale yeast down to almost dry, a basic and almost flavorless complexion, really allowing the hops to shine. not sure what varietals are in play here, but the vegetal leafy freshness, bright citrus flavors, and oily richness suggest northwestern types and maybe some citra too, tangerine and grapefruit, pine bitterness, and a decent little bite on the back end, so fresh, the name suits it. its not over hopped either, like the beer remains in really nice balance despite all the flavor, and it drinks easy and nice. good carbonation cutting through some of the plant heft, and a wonderful juiciness here, honest botanical goodness, just really well made beer. these guys have impressed me most with their hop forward beers, and this is one of the better and more back to basics wet hopped beers ive had all fall this year...

Crowler dated 10/09/15 into a tulip glass. Pours a hazy golden color with minimal head and thin lacing. Pleasant tropical nose, good taste with what seems like a bit of a lemony finish. Mouthfeel is good. Not something I'd seek out or buy again, but it was a nice gift from a friend and I enjoyed the beer.

 

 

 

On-tap at the brewery, with live music and wood-fired pizza to back it up.
Light, clear amber appearance.
Explosive hop-forward aroma--just what you'd look for in a fresh-hopped beer.
Citrus, pine, pineapple taste, with enough malt in the background to balance the flavor, but its all about the hops; mosaic hops according to the info at the brewery.
No let-up through the after-taste, just more hops. An outstanding example of an autumn fresh-hopped ale.

 

 

 

 

Pint on tap at the Davis Beer Shoppe in Davis, CA. Brand spanking new brewery according to the staff. Not planning to try it. What's that? Its a fresh hopped IPA? That changes things. Away we go.

Luminescent gold with a single finger of head. This beer glitters. The smell leads with a fantastic forest and grass smell with big hops. However, there is a slight rank, overly earthy aftersmell (new word?) It is not outright bad but knocks the aroma down just a titch. Taste is fab and exactly what a fresh hopped IPA should be. Hops, barley, hops, pine, also hops. No malt. Thick and somewhat resiny and a deceptively easy drink.

Terrific, especially for a first offering. If this is not an elite fresh hop beer, it doesn't miss by much. Since they are tiny and I'm not in Cali much, it might be a while before I have them again, so I'm glad I made the most of the chance. BTW, props to Davis Beer Shoppe...$3.50 for a pint of rock solid IPA? As your ex gov would say, "I'll be back".