Harvester Experiment Ale (Red Ale)
Ground Breaker Brewing
- From:
- Ground Breaker Brewing
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
- ABV:
- 5.8%
- Score:
- +6 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 2.24 | pDev: 38.39%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 3
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Sep 22, 2012
- Added:
- Mar 23, 2012
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
25 IBUs ~5.8% ABV
"This Red Ale is the first in our Experiment Ale series. The Experiment Ale series will consist of our rotating/seasonal beers, each featuring the same label then stamped with the particular style. The Red Ale is made with a medium dark roast of our chestnuts that lends great flavor to the beer as well as a beautiful red color. The Red Ale features Willamette hops."
"This Red Ale is the first in our Experiment Ale series. The Experiment Ale series will consist of our rotating/seasonal beers, each featuring the same label then stamped with the particular style. The Red Ale is made with a medium dark roast of our chestnuts that lends great flavor to the beer as well as a beautiful red color. The Red Ale features Willamette hops."
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by velosuds from Oregon
3.21/5 rDev +43.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.21/5 rDev +43.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From a 22 oz. bomber into a clear pint glass. No bottle dating. Unfortunate, since GF beers have questionable shelf life. I take a different approach to this beer. GF is a significant challenge, both for those whose suffer from gluten allergy and intolerance, and for those who choose to brew GF. I applaud Harvester Brewing as the only dedicated GF brewery I am aware of in the US.
A - This looks like real beer, albeit darker than expected for style. This pours a dark ruby chestnut (what gave that away?) with a one and one half finger bone white head with good retention and lacing. Appearance is the best attribute.
S - Roastiness from the chestnuts, as Sorghum contributes little to the aroma, unlike barley. There is also some faint earthy spice and grassy notes from the Willamette hops.
T - As a GF beer I would rate this much higher. It tastes very much like "real" beer, which is not easy given Sorghum syrup is the primary fermentable. The cane sugar no doubt helps eliminate the residual cider like taste of most GF beers brewed with Sorghum. At 37 IBUs (according to brewery's website), the taste is much more bitter with a residual nuttiness that is from the chestnuts. I think the chestnuts differentiate this from other Sorghum beers (like Bard's) but believe Harvester has overdone the chestnut influence. Admirable effort since GF brewing is very challenging. Taste improves as it warms.
M - The use of cane sugar in the wort tends toward a drier ale, which is necessary when Sorghum is the primary fermentable. Carbonation is very adequate, but mouthfeel will always be lacking in GF beers compared to barley, but this comes close to real beer.
O - This is the best GF beer produced domestically. Anyone with a GF intolerance or allergy should give this real ale a try. It is better, for all its style deficiencies, than many beers in this style that are brewed with barley. Aside from the lingering chestnut taste, this would be very good beer. As GF, it is very good. Better to drink this if gluten intolerant than to drink wine IMO.
Sep 22, 2012A - This looks like real beer, albeit darker than expected for style. This pours a dark ruby chestnut (what gave that away?) with a one and one half finger bone white head with good retention and lacing. Appearance is the best attribute.
S - Roastiness from the chestnuts, as Sorghum contributes little to the aroma, unlike barley. There is also some faint earthy spice and grassy notes from the Willamette hops.
T - As a GF beer I would rate this much higher. It tastes very much like "real" beer, which is not easy given Sorghum syrup is the primary fermentable. The cane sugar no doubt helps eliminate the residual cider like taste of most GF beers brewed with Sorghum. At 37 IBUs (according to brewery's website), the taste is much more bitter with a residual nuttiness that is from the chestnuts. I think the chestnuts differentiate this from other Sorghum beers (like Bard's) but believe Harvester has overdone the chestnut influence. Admirable effort since GF brewing is very challenging. Taste improves as it warms.
M - The use of cane sugar in the wort tends toward a drier ale, which is necessary when Sorghum is the primary fermentable. Carbonation is very adequate, but mouthfeel will always be lacking in GF beers compared to barley, but this comes close to real beer.
O - This is the best GF beer produced domestically. Anyone with a GF intolerance or allergy should give this real ale a try. It is better, for all its style deficiencies, than many beers in this style that are brewed with barley. Aside from the lingering chestnut taste, this would be very good beer. As GF, it is very good. Better to drink this if gluten intolerant than to drink wine IMO.
Reviewed by tlazaroff from Virginia
1.54/5 rDev -31.3%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
1.54/5 rDev -31.3%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
Smells like way to sweet burnt caramel... and wrongness. It just smells wrong to me, honestly.
Pours out a nice amber red color with a thin tan head, visible carbonation supporting it is really nice to look at.
Taste: Drain pour. It's just all burnt sugar, tastes not good at all. Mouthfeel is bad, its offensive. It leaves this uncomfortable feeling on your palate, the best way I can describe it is that it kinda burns.
Sep 06, 2012Pours out a nice amber red color with a thin tan head, visible carbonation supporting it is really nice to look at.
Taste: Drain pour. It's just all burnt sugar, tastes not good at all. Mouthfeel is bad, its offensive. It leaves this uncomfortable feeling on your palate, the best way I can describe it is that it kinda burns.
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon
2.96/5 rDev +32.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
2.96/5 rDev +32.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
22oz bomber from Roths Sunnyside Market,S.Salem. $5.99 Clear darker amber beer with a nice light tan head..good lace also. Odd ’dirty" aromas..earthy,nutty,tobacco leaf,..some chocolate. Taste is very nutty,bitter and very ashy, really not that pleasant..some hops in the end...its getting better but still not a "quaffer’ by any means. Well carbonated mouthfeel Overall intresting but not really grabbing my attention
May 11, 2012
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!