Vista Farms Harvest Ale 2009
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 14.04%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
8
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 22, 2012
Added:
Oct 28, 2009
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by donniecuffs:
Photo of donniecuffs
Reviewed by donniecuffs from New Jersey

3.22/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Relatively recently at Rattle 'N Hum's Victory promo...about 2 months ago. Poured amber/copper, with less than a finger of white; poor retention and lacing. Little visible carbonation. Very malty nuances in the nose; caramel, apple, and brown sugar...certainly not representation of a 'wet hop' offering. This could have been the result of it being brewed in '09, and not aging well. The taste mirrored the nose, in that it was very malty from start to finish, with only the faintest hint of dry herbs on the finish. Non-descript, non-carbonated medium body. Non-offensive enough to session, but definitely not a dynamic specimen of the style.
Dec 23, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 5 by VinnyA from Pennsylvania

Dec 22, 2012
Photo of xnicknj
Reviewed by xnicknj from Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
on tap at the brewery. this year's release.

Pours clear golden orange with a thin, yet frothed head, retaining well and leaving curtains of lacing.

Some bright citrus hops with zest and orange in the nose, alongside hints of toasted grain and biscuit.

Grapefruit citrus hops up front with a nice malted sweetness mid way through. Toasted light caramel and grains provide body for the brighter profile. More hoppiness with light pine and stickiness throughout, creating an overall bouncy fruit and hop combo. Finishes bitter and dry buy not overwhelming.

Medium body, way higher carbonation, pretty smooth drinking with some dryness. Alcohol is masked almost completely, and the citrusy hops are definitely tasty. It seemed like there was a little something missing here, but still a solid brew.
Nov 24, 2010
Photo of John_M
Reviewed by John_M from Washington

3.85/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Just tapped at Max's, so should be pretty fresh.

The beer pours a golden amber with fairly decent head retention and minimal lacing. The nose isn't bad, showcasing light tobacco, citrus and a hint of orange honey. The flavor profile replicates the nose, but fortunately is a bit more intense. This pale ale is fairly dry otherwise, with considerable tobacco and noticeable hoppy bitterness. Mouthfeel is medum bodied, with an herbaceous, fairly bitter finish. Drinkabilty is quite good, in what I assume is an abv. in the 6% range.

While nothing spectacular here, you can really appreciate the wet hopping in this beer. It adds a note of tobacco and herbaceousness that I thought was impressive. Not bad at all...
Nov 09, 2010
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: The beer is hazy yellowish amber in color and has a thin white head. There is no visible carbonation in the form of rising bubbles.
S: There are light aromas of floral hops in the nose.
T: The taste shares some similarities with the smell, but the flavors from the fresh hops are much more pronounced. There are also some notes of pale malts in the flavor.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer isn't that difficult to drink and goes down rather smoothly.
Nov 04, 2010
Photo of Centennial
Reviewed by Centennial from Vermont

4.89/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
This is a Victory's Vista WET HOPPED ALE using 100 % Pennsylvania grown cascades and then dry hopped with nuggets. - NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH (Victory Harvest Ale - NY state hops)

Brewed within 4 hours of a hand picked harvest from Vista Farms in Oreland, PA (only 20BBLs produced)

Serving had - 1/6 keg from 3 tap kegerator (extremely fresh and drinkable this went faster then any previous beer)

A: Light pale yellow body. Bubbly lacing head. Great retention then evolves into a nice cell like lacing.

S: 2009 harvest ale was brewed with 100 % Pennsylvania grown cascades and then dry hopped with nuggets. The cascades add an amazing citric / grapefruit aroma. (Victory's other Harvest ale uses another strain of hops from upstate NY.)

T: Clean, crisp and very citricy and lemon-grass / grapefruit notes from the cascades and a nice finishing bitterness from the nuggets. 1/6 keg on Kegerator

M: Crisp, clean, light bodied brew. Carbonation tingles the palate and adds to the refreshing taste. Clean finish. Amazingly fresh taste.

D: Great refreshing beer that can drink any day of the week....Give me a keg of this year round and I would be very very happy
Nov 23, 2009
Photo of treehugger02010
Reviewed by treehugger02010 from Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I had this on tap at Victory Brewery and Restaurant in Dowingtown, PA. It came in a tumbler.
Appearance: The body is a light clear amber body. The head is an eggshell color, fluffy two fingers tall, great retention and sticky lacing.
Smell: The aromas are hoppy, piney and earth tones.
Taste: The flavors are piney hops, yeast and dirty flavors.
Mouthfeel: The body is thin and crisp.
Drinkability: This is a good beer.
Don't drink and review.
Nov 12, 2009
Photo of callmemickey
Reviewed by callmemickey from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Light pale yellow body. (A slight turn off). Lively carbonation throughout. Massive, bubbly head. Great retention before crashing into a nice ring. Thin, sheet-like lacing.

S: This years harvest ale was brewed with Pennsylvania grown cascades and then dry hopped with nuggets. The cascades are certainly there with a sharp grassy-citric nose. There is a grainy, almost lager like malt component as well.

T: Clean, crisp and remarkably fresh citric (lemon) and grassy notes from the cascades and a nice herbal (tea like) bitterness from the nuggets. A very nice beer. If you could get me this beer fresh in june i'd be thrilled in the warmer weather.

M: Crisp, light-medium bodied brew. Good carbonation tingles the palate. Clean finish. Refreshing.

D: The combination of flavor and lighter body here allows this brew to leave a nice impression on me. Could easily have a few of these in a sitting on the deck.
Oct 28, 2009
Vista Farms Harvest Ale 2009 from Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
Beer rating: 4.06 out of 5 with 8 ratings