2015 Victory Harvest Ale Released

Discussion in 'Beer Releases' started by rotsaruch, Oct 14, 2015.

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  1. rotsaruch

    rotsaruch Pundit (874) Jun 18, 2002 Pennsylvania

    Oct. 10, 2015 was the official date Victory released the 2015 version of their wet hop Harvest Ale. Here's info from Victory on the this year's seasonal brew: http://www.victorybeer.com/beers/harvest-ale/

    It's a bigger abv brew....up from 5.5% last year to 6.5% this year. The hop aroma is very noticeable and pleasing. The taste profile captured the big and juicy hop flavor, but also a surprising level of danky and earthy flavors. It's truly an unusual, but tasty wet-hopped ale.
     
  2. nicholasofcusa

    nicholasofcusa Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2006 Florida

    Nearly certain the abv was 6.5 last year too. Definitely wasn't below 6%.
     
  3. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    You are indeed correct (according to a Victory 2014 press release):

    “Available for a limited-time only, Victory’s Harvest Ale is all about the hops. Infused with the resinous natural hop oils that give impressions of fresh fruit flavors like apricot, grapefruit, and citrus, this ale leads to a very juicy taste, while completing satisfaction with a sustained and bracing bitterness to the finish. Harvest Ale will be sold in 12 oz. bottles and on draft with an ABV of 6.5%.”

    https://sprbrewcrew.wordpress.com/2...es-release-of-first-wet-hop-brew-harvest-ale/

    Cheers!
     
  4. hillind

    hillind Savant (1,007) Apr 24, 2010 Pennsylvania

    Yep, definitely was 6.5% last year as well. Can't wait to try 2015!
     
  5. Robtobfest

    Robtobfest Initiate (0) Oct 21, 2009 Connecticut

    This. The best harvest beer I tried last year can't wait
     
    Valleyview06, JimsArcade and PSU_Mike like this.
  6. thorkelson

    thorkelson Initiate (0) Oct 10, 2014 Minnesota

    Does anyone know if they are distributing it to all the places they normally do?
     
  7. Raime

    Raime Pooh-Bah (1,935) Jun 4, 2012 North Korea
    Pooh-Bah

    If anybody in the SE Michigan area sees it PM me please
     
  8. Valleyview06

    Valleyview06 Pundit (850) Oct 13, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    hard to see, but 6.5% and delicious is confirmed (last years)

    [​IMG]
     
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  9. DrStiffington

    DrStiffington Grand Pooh-Bah (3,740) Oct 27, 2010 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah

    It was both delicious and easy to get last year, but as with most things craft and hyped, it sounds like it will be much harder to get this year. Jeez, who the hell needs 4-5 cases of this one beer? I'd be happy with 4-5 singles.
     
    sgudino, HokiesandBeer and eagles7251 like this.
  10. HokiesandBeer

    HokiesandBeer Initiate (0) Jan 10, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Well the reason for the limited availability is there are only so many wet hops Victory can transport from the Yakima Valley to SE Pennsylvania and brew them on their schedule. Right now Victory has a ton of stuff getting bottled/canned at the moment. I'd imagine you'll be seeing it soon in NJ though?
     
  11. DWheeler379

    DWheeler379 Zealot (747) Jun 15, 2012 Colorado

    Anyone see this in NC? Might not have been sent here.
     
  12. dsmil

    dsmil Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2009 Maryland

    I had this at a brewfest recently and it the best beer that I tried by far.
     
    seakayak likes this.
  13. Andy311x

    Andy311x Initiate (0) Apr 28, 2008 North Carolina

    Have had my eyes peeled for this in the Raleigh Area, seems as though no one got any
     
  14. BrewsingBuffalo

    BrewsingBuffalo Initiate (0) Jul 6, 2015 New York

    Just saw it at my local (buffalo) shop (didn't check price)
     
  15. PSU_Mike

    PSU_Mike Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Was this year's version a shade or 2 darker than last year's? Had an amber color this year. I remember it being more pale last. Flavor is off too. Aroma is excellent but the flavor is flat. Hate to say it but it was better last year.
     
    drtth likes this.
  16. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Does seem to me a bit darker than last year. Thought both the aromas and flavors last year were a bit more citric (grapefruit) whereas this years seems a bit more resinous (pine resin). I say I enjoyed last year's more than this year's bottling.
     
  17. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I liked last year's version much more than this year's Harvest Ale.

    I wonder if this is an issue of a differing hop crop or some change in the brewing process. Or maybe both?

    Cheers!
     
  18. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    From a comment sixpoint posted on his profile several weeks back, I'm guessing it has to do with the crop. IIRC he commented about visiting the hop fields and thinking that the crop looked a bit stressed from the water shortages.

    Edit: Just looked his comment is still listed on his profile page.
     
    HokiesandBeer likes this.
  19. Capt_Quint

    Capt_Quint Pundit (762) May 29, 2015 Massachusetts
    Trader

    I agree with everyone saying it looked pretty dark this year. However, I did put it a tick above this year's Founder's Harvest Ale, which I thought was amazing last year. In a non-scientific comparison I did with my unrefined palate the order ended up being Born Yesterday > Victory Harvest > Founder's Harvest > Sixpoint Sensi.
     
    DWheeler379 likes this.
  20. basics

    basics Initiate (0) Oct 27, 2011 North Carolina

    I'm sure you've seen but it's dropped in Raleigh now. Tasty Bev for sure has it.
     
    Andy311x likes this.
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