Founders Harvest Ale - Founders Brewing Company

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Transcribed from notes dtd F, 29 Oct 2010.

Wet-hopped for my enjoyment! A finger of soapy, bone-white head upon arrival with decent retention. Color was a hazy lemon-yellow. Nose was grapefruit-citrusy with an earthy undertone. Man, I really did what wet hopping will do for a beer! Mouthfeel was silky but with a pleasant hops bite, like a 1-2 combo to the palate. The bitterness was somehow muted, less sharp than many of its counterparts. The mellowing effects were immediate. I had thought that I had (finally) conquered my hop jones, but this was like mainlining. The finish was hoppy, sure, but with an earthy aspect that simply lingered.

Serving type: cask

06-14-2011 20:00:29 | More by woodychandler

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Served from cask into a flared pilsner. Poured a golden yellow with a minimal pure white head. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt and citrus/bitter hop. The flavor was of sweet malt, citrus (not a hoppy kind), and bitter hops. It had a light feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this was quite excellent. Very well-balanced in flavor and aroma. Very nice hop profile going on here. Found myself drinking this one QUITE quickly due to the flavor and easy of drinking it. A definite must try rather it be on-tap or on cask for sure!

Serving type: cask

12-13-2010 15:34:08 | More by thagr81us

beerphan

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On cask @piperspub in Pittsburgh-> 20oz pint
2010

Arrives a hazed orange with a tight white head. Sheets.of lace that don.t fade wow.

Nose: Hoppy. Freshly cut oranges. Herbal and grassy.

Slight body as expected from cask. Some sweet caramel up front before the fresh hoppy goodness creeps in. Lots of citrus hop flavors, orange, mango, fresh pineapple. Flavors seems to mimic the intenseness of hop pellets, but that can't be. Seems to be an extremely freshed hopped beer and i have no complaints.

Great beer. Thanks to Pipers Pub for serving it and tweeting it.

Serving type: cask

11-20-2010 20:40:13 | More by beerphan

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cask. General Sutter.

A: The harvest ale is a coppery orange hue, full enough to almost haze over entire. But not quite. Very little head, as expected from a cask ale.

S: The nose is a citrus wonderland, dry-hopped to the extreme. Citrusy grapefruit flavors overpower biscuity caramel aromas 90% of the time.

T: Citrus hops, thanks to the generous dry-hopping, really drive the flavor. A grapefruit taste, resiny and oily, sets in early. Peppery freshness follows the hops, a fullness that is best accentuated on cask. Biscuity caramel flavors follow the hops, a strong foundation for the ale. This kind of beer makes me love the fall.

M: Citrus flavors overpower the biscuity malts, even in this subtle cask version. It's worth checking out in this 'au natural' format.

D: Pleasnatly quaffable, an APA that comes across well in the bottle but is much stronger in the cask.

Serving type: cask

10-30-2010 22:15:17 | More by akorsak

rodrjf

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I enjoyed a pint during the 5th Annual Harvest Celebration at Founders yesterday. The first one I had was on tap.
A: Opaque orangey glow with a nice full head.
S: Very strong citrus and hops aroma, not over powering.
T: Lots of hop flavor but not overpowering, good balance with the malt and citrus.
M: Mild, not an overpowering carbonation
D: good very enjoyable

CASK:
It was gravity dispensed b/c the hand pull was not working properly. Same as tap but I felt it was a lot smoother, I think I was a little on the warm side which helped in tasting all the different flavors. I enjoyed it much more from the cask than tap.

Serving type: cask

10-13-2008 01:48:59 | More by rodrjf

Roeters

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had a few pints of the 2008 Harvest from the cask listed first then '08 Harvest from the tap.

Cask: was poured directly from the keg, was not pulled through the hand pump.
A: Hazy golden with a orange hue, very little to no head.

S: strong hop aroma

T: beer is built around the hop letting it shine through. Lots of hop not overly bitter, just lots of flavor,

M: very mild body, very smooth

D: I couldn't stop drinking it

On-tap
A: Hazy golden with an inch of head good lacing

S: mild hop aroma

T: not as much hop flavor as the cask but still well developed and earthy

M: mild body, smooth with goo carbonation

D: couldn't stop

Serving type: cask

10-12-2008 18:50:03 | More by Roeters

KC8LTL

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on "Handpull" at the brewery. Looked like it was gravity dispensed to me instead of handpull, but whatever.

Light golden and hazy with a creamy head. Served it bit on the cool side for a cask beer in my opinion.

Smell was up-front citrus hops. Since I came to the brewery for the beer and wanted the hops, this was a nice invitation.

Taste was, well, citrus and piney hops. The whole point of this beer it to feature the hops, and feature it it does. The malt is just enough to keep the hops from overrunning it so you can enjoy more hops.

The Mouthfeel was good, but to be honest, I expected the handpull to make it a bit smoother.

The Drinkability was quite good. I had just one of them (hey, they had 19 beers on tap!) but it was a good way to start the night. It gave me a hop fix, but didn't burn me out.

Serving type: cask

10-12-2008 18:47:55 | More by KC8LTL

paultierney1

Ohio

4.59/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle served in a Thomas Creek pint glass. Michigan meets South Carolina.

Not a bad looking ale. This beer pours just fine.

The head is durable and the glass ends up nicely decorated with sticky lacing.

The aroma is strongly hoppy, with fruity, floral, spruce and herbal hop elements. (The previous reviewer really nailed this part.)

The flavor is a complex mix of fantastic hoppy elements. The malt is there to back up the bitterness. One of my favorites. I will buy this one anytime I find it.

The flavor is better than the aroma. Or vice versa. Another solid IPA from Founders. Thank you vely much.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 02:04:59 | More by paultierney1

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.09/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served in a pint, bottled dated 10/04/2012.

Appearance: A slight hazy gold color with heavy bubbles on the body. Head is somewhat thick considering after two sips it still holds up with an initial settling of maybe a finger's length coming off white.

Smell: Light floral scent, comes and goes...I honestly don't feel much on this beer when it comes to what i am smelling. Not bad but I want just a little more.

Taste: Bitter for most, to me it's an almost perfect blend of what IPA's should be. It is light but then again it's not supposed to be an Imperial. You feel floral, and bitterness coming off very fresh which I absolutely lust. You have a piney-ness to this brew that is very unique and honestly it feels like an honor alone just to have it. Hop lovers will lust.

Mouth: Medium and awfully tasty, it feels almost like a thirst quencher and for that alone it's at minimum a four. You feel almost like a tree bark type of feel when you gulp it but don't be scared it's true hops that you are indulging in.
Overall: For what it is, I definitely wouldnt take it for granted, it delivers! It's robust not too much and offers a little bit of everything.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 05:31:59 | More by BlurryVisi0n

katan

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz into a pint

A - Pours a very clear light golden color. Strong white head formation, lots of lacing. Formidable head.

S - Strong resinous piney hop nose. Very dry, floral.

T - Starts off lightly citrus, almost all hops from the beginning. Malts just are hidden. Mid-stream is very bitter, more of the dry hopping. Finishes with a hefty resinous flavor.

M - Moderate creamy body, very well balanced carbonation profile. Very sticky oily texture on the tongue.

O/D - A very good wet hopped beer. Really takes a hold of the oils. ABV is managable. A little bit hefty, but good all around.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 06:31:24 | More by katan

chinchill

South Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle served in a Corsendonk chalice on Xmas Eve.

Not a great looking ale, this beer pours with rather small head, despite a vigorous pour, and looks a bit thin. The head is durable, however, and the glass ends up nicely decorated with sticky lacing.
The aroma is strongly hoppy, with fruity, floral, spruce and herbal hop elements. Likewise the flavor is a complex mix of hoppy elements with only a faint malt base. The malt is certainly in here, however, because the flavor is only moderately bitter, even in the finish. The flavor is better, and less piney, than the aroma. A sessionable yet strong IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 00:43:07 | More by chinchill

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Consumed 12/22/12

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy golden orange - small, off-white head, leaves some hints of a cap and some spots of lacing

Smell: Citrusy and wet - orange, tangerine, and grapefruit flesh - some soggy pine needles - spearmint gum - damp and leafy, as a wet-hopped beer should be - floral, and lightly earthy - some pale malts, grainy sweetness, undercooked biscuits in the background

Taste: Mmm... hop cones... loads of citrusy and leafy hops - orange and grapefruit flesh, with some citrus zest - lightly juicy, but mostly just wet tasting - leafy, very floral - lightly earthy, but mostly clean - some mint - moderately bitter - nice malt backbone, with some pale malts and a light, bready sweetness

Mouthfeel: Medium body, very smooth, could use more carbonation (but maybe I got a weird bottle), wet

Overall: Yeah, it's wet

This is a solid wet-hopped beer. It screams "wet-hopped" so loudly that I wish, for the first time, that this could be its own style on BA. As an American IPA, it's very good, but not spectacular. I will need to review this slightly fresher next year.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 07:11:47 | More by angrybabboon

SometimesIfart

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Clear golden hue with a one finger white head that sticks around. With a nice large finish gulp, it leaves nice lacing.

S - slight pine, wet cascade hops, slight citrus, slight lemon peel. Small amounts of grapefruit.

T - Big, centennial hop pine up front, small amounts of orange, lemeon zest, wheat bread.

M -Medium bodies with medium to heavy carbonation. Fits the beer well and the beer leaves a spicy juicyness as it sits.

O - Overall, this was a solid IPA, though nothing spectacular. I'd have it again though.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 06:35:40 | More by SometimesIfart

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Slightly hazy and golden orange in color with a an even, soapy sticky layer on top.

S - Biscuity light caramel malt, pine, spicy orange rind and lemons with delicate pineapple aroma. Overall, the aroma is a little faded.

T - Sweet, light biscuity malt up front, light fruit rinds: pineapple, orange, lemon peel, and sweet grapefruit. The hops dominate this beer from start to end and finishes with a lingering coating of bitter fruit rind that's a little peppery. Eventually, there's a floral character that surfaces.

M - Medium body with enough carbonation to prickle the tongue before turning to a creamy finish.

O - Very enjoyable, still drinking well, and I'm kicking myself for being lazy and not pursuing this beer closer to its release.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 22:50:16 | More by jzeilinger

albertjr21

New York

4.78/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 10/4/12 and poured into a snifter on 12/16/12, brew pours a clear and pale washed out yellow gold under a white head. An alluring nectar sweet hop forward aroma gently lifts into the nose with hints of lemon rind and pine. Lush hops glide through in the mouth feel with nonabrasive but dominating bitterness. Smooth flowing, incredibly well balanced IPA packed with all that hop goodness. An instant classic in my book. Can't help but think how great this would go with spicy Tex-Mex fajita tacos...

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 20:43:27 | More by albertjr21

LilBilly666

Georgia

4.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Perfect blend of wet hops. Excellent aromas. I have had this one sitting for a few months and it is just as good as when fresh. Love the light mouth feel on this. Nice bite of wet hops with a wonderful aftertaste. You know what I'm talking about. When you rub your tongue over the roof of your mouth because you want more of that flavor!

I like it because it's a nice change of pace from the typical "pale ale" I get in Georgia.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 05:12:39 | More by LilBilly666

GameFreac

Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Couldn't find a 4-pack of this anywhere but found a bottle at the Cigar Bar in Cartersville, GA for $2.50 during happy hour. It's almost 2 months old but I'll give it a shot.

Appearance: Pours a golden yellow color and looks filtered. You can definitely see throughout it. A finger of a white head.

Smell: Smells amazing. Sweet hops and tropical fruits. Mango, pineapple. Awesome.

Taste - Taste mirrors the nose with more tropical fruits and some pine. So good.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel.

Overall: In my top 3 IPAs ever now. Amazing. Definitely going to buy a case next year.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 03:11:02 | More by GameFreac

DovaliHops

California

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled 10/04/12. Pours an almost-clear golden color with an orange hue. Medium white head that disappears quickly. Scent is quite citrusy with very mellow malt profile. Lovely, piney aroma with some nice orange and pineapple scents. Taste is just as it smells. I love how this one lacks in the malt department. Great for not being from the west side. Delicious, well-balanced bitterness with great pine and citrus flavors. Citrus rules here, but there is a hint of tropical hops. Great bitter finish with a bit of grapefruit. Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied with a crisp, refreshing finish. Drinkability is very high. Overall, this is a great IPA that I wish I had readily available over here in California (I know it's greedy of me).

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 08:37:45 | More by DovaliHops

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a clear medium yellow in color with some golden yellow highlights and light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall white head that slowly reduces to medium sized thick patch, a thin film covering the rest of the surface of the beer, and a thick ring at the edges of the glass - showing some very nice retention properties. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of citrus/grapefruit hops that is very pleasant and enjoyable.

T: Light amounts of maltiness upfront but the majority of the flavors in this beer come from the hops - first there are moderate to strong flavors of citrus/grapefruit but then there is a light to moderate amount of pine/resin hop flavors in the finish. Light amounts of bitterness which linger.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very crisp with a light amount of lingering slickness in the finish.

O: Very enjoyable with really nice hop aromas and flavors but still well balanced between the malts and hops so it is not overly bitter. The smell is very enticing and this beer does not disappoint. Definitely one of my favorite of the fresh hop IPAs available in the fall. Easy to drink and just about sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 01:36:04 | More by dbrauneis

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle from Party Source Syracuse NY for 2.50$

Appearance - Clear gold/copper colour with an above average size fizzy white coloured head. There is a lot of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for over 5 minutes.

Smell - Malts, caramel, hops, grapefruit, oranges

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel and malts mixed with hops. There is also some grapefruit/oranges mixed with some herbal/grassy notes. It ends with a malty sweet aftertaste with some lingering herbal/hoppy bitter notes.

Overall – Another winner from founders. While I prefer some of their other IPA's, this is still a delicious and well crafted brew. The herbal/grassy notes work well for the holiday season.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 00:53:46 | More by spinrsx

C20Percent

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a slightly hazy pale gold with a .25 finger's worth of bubbly white head. There is some super tiny sediment in the body. Little bit of bubble action. Looks refreshing. Pretty good presentation.

S: Beer really shines here -- lots of citrus. Think Sculpin, Perpetual -- maybe Headwaters. Sweetness. Some floral notes. But, a very, strong, clean aroma. Also, getting some sweet malts here. Very good.

T: Getting some citrus and sweet malts in the taste. Doesn't quite rise to the level of the aroma. Kind of a letdown. But, it taste clean, it taste refreshing. Good summertime beer. Or, good session beer. Nice bitter finish.

M: Great carbonation. Smooth and creamy. Not strong bite -- easy on the mouth. Medium feel with nice chewiness that brings out the bitterness. Good stuff.

O: Good beer -- the thing is Troegs is doing this with Perpetual IPA at a lower price beer that's available all year long. And, I'd even take a six pack of Sculpin for $17 over a four pack or Harvest for $11. Good beer -- if you haven't tried then do so, but there's similar beer out there with a better value. I'd rather see Founders do an Ocktoberfest or Pumpkin Ale for there Fall seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 18:35:49 | More by C20Percent

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clearly one of the better examples of the fresh hop style. That being said, for me, this beer suffers from the same overly aggressive and super resinous quality that many have; the hops and accompanying oils are so fresh and assertive that they almost outshine the actual flavors and bury them a bit in bitterness.

The look is a lightly hazed dark gold; sizeable white head with strong retention and lace, all around excellent appearance. Awesome aroma as expected; tons of citrus, grapefruit, pineapple, orange and lemon. Mild malt detected beneath, but you have to dig in to get at it. This is all about the hops.

The flavor as mentioned above is quite nice but somewhat usurped by the potent resiny quality of the hops, and that’s coming from a certifiable hophead. I taste less of the fruity citrus flavors observed in the aroma, and while there are nice notes of pineapple, grapefruit, and orange, the tongue is lashed somewhat, obscuring them, and keeping the gentle caramel malt backbone well-hidden. The finish is dry and the aftertaste is long and fairly bitter.

Medium body and carbonation, right on the money for an IPA. The best of the fresh hop beers of the year, I think, but maybe I’m not as crazy about this sub-style anymore as many others seem to be these days.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 03:41:03 | More by tobelerone

Auracom

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. single purchased from MSCM. 6 oz. served in a C&B tulip on November 9th, 2012.

A - Very clear,straw-golden color. Thin, one finger white head with quick reduction. Moderate lacing.

S - This gets close to the target. Sticky hop resin. Dank. Herbal. Slight fruit juices. Touch of caramel malts. Quite inviting.

T - Mellow. Boring even. Wet hop bitterness, fresh grass, and bready carbonation. The back half of the palate is severely underwhelming in overall flavor.

M - Light medium body, low carbonation, lightly dry finish.

D - Smells better than it tastes. It's just too... polite. It's reasonably accessible, but I'm not sure it shows me anything I haven't seen before. Disappointment here.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 22:23:17 | More by Auracom

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Purchased in Wakefield, Rhode Island:

A- Pours a every-so-slightly hazy golden yellow body with a very small white head that reduces quickly and leaves little lacing. Looks adjunct.

S- Freshly cut grass, fresh herbs, citrus, resin. Smells absolutely delicious. A rare 5 for aromas.

T- Fantastic. Grapefruit and citrus notes upfront, ends with a tasty resinous pine flavor.

M- Medium carbonation, slightly thin body. Refreshing.

Another great from Founders. Overall, a tasty and complex harvest ale. One of the best, if not the best autumn beer this year. Scoop some off the shelf if you still can. Can't wait till next year!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 16:46:29 | More by gcamparone

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 10/04/12. Wish I would've landed one of these sooners. It's always been one of my favorite IPAs. Not the freshest example, but we'll see what we're holding here.

Light tangerine-amber in color with a stay-put inch of white head. Bubbles seen rising up from the bottom of the glass. A few swoop marks of foam stuck to the glass.

Still getting some sick hop aromatics here. Lime, grapefruit, cucumber, melon, and a lot of pine. Not the usual super-dry malt that I was expecting from past experiences with this gem. A little sweeter with that hint of Maillard effect.

Follows the nose, but with juicy tropical fruit notes abound in the forms of papaya and starfruit. More pine and bitter citrus. Lime, green mango, grapefruit, and some floral character. Such an excellent IPA. Light biscuity malts play around with a light toast note.

These under-7% IPAs drink so easy, especially when they're constructed this well. Medium body and spicy carbonation keep the hop oils on the tongue where they should be. Great feel. My glass is nearly empty already.

My favorite Founders IPA. One of six or seven beers that I look forward to when the fall approaches, and high on that particular list.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 03:59:04 | More by thecheapies