Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 24oz bottle with no visible BB date. 2012 vintage; I presume this was bottled in Spring. Picked up recently from Trembling Madness in York. Described on the label as an ale hopped with freshly picked cones from the Southern hemisphere (New Zealand).

Poured (twice) into a Duvel tulip. A rich marmalade hue with decent carbonation. Plenty of fine sediment after the second pour. Produces a large head of creamy off-white foam with good retention; this slowly reduces to a surface layer. Aroma of sweet caramel malt with notes of pine resin, citrus, faint grain and dry yeast. A warming hint of booze in the background.

Tastes of caramel malt with an aromatic hop character and a strident bitter finish. Notes of pine resin, grapefruit, citrus, grain, stewed hops and earthy yeast. Plenty of spicy hop oils. An intense, dry bitterness upon swallowing, accompanied by a subtle hint of alcohol. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry, spicy and tingly, with great body. Highly astringent; dries the palate thoroughly. Aftertaste of bitter aromatic hops and sweet malt.

Lovely - tons of flavour and character. A robust malt backbone underpins an avalanche of hops. The aroma and flavour encompass a variety of hop notes, but the result is a fantastic balance with the malt. Smooth, juicy mouthfeel. I'm not sure when this was bottled or how old it is, but the character is superb. Fresh hops for everyone! Well worth sampling if you come across it.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 01:21:48 | More by jazzyjeff13

doktorhops

Australia

3.98/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The boys (and quite possibly girls) at Sierra Nevada have concocted some fine brews finally available for purchase over Dan Murphy's counter here in Australia, this is one of those beers. I'm not of the opinion that everything they touches turns to gold (more like amber actually), however they have so far been a decent brewery and I'm looking forward to this Hop Ale.

Poured from a 710ml bottle into a Stein.

A: This fine ale presents with a cloudy burnt orange body and about 1cm of a creamy off-white head. Looks very appealing.

S: Full bouquet of pine needles, grapefruit, and cannabis fragrance hops... having trouble detecting malt grains as the hop aroma is overwhelming the senses... which is never a bad thing. Definitely a good score in this department.

T: Flavour is a mixed bag. Hops are dominant throughout, however they don't present anything different from what was expected - citrus; check, resin; check, herbaceous characters; check. There is a caramel malt base in the middle that adds a hint of sweetness to balance out the bitter but overall the taste is hops, with added dry hops. Missing some flavour complexity.

M: The body is medium, with a mid to low carbonation and a slight oil slickness as well.

D: Good? Yes. Great? No. It's got a classic American IPA vibe to it, the only thing that is missing is finesse in the hopping (the dry hopping feels a little overbearing), and a bit of sweetness. This doesn't taste like a classic IPA (which has stronger bitterness, more diacetyl and tea-like tannin hops), but it is an American IPA (which is more like a ramped up version of an APA). Don't be mistaken - it is quite drinkable, these are merely the quibbles of a deranged hop-lover.

Food match: Pad Thai would work well with this, balance between the resinous hops and coriander (or "Cilantro" for the Yanks) would agree greatly with my taste buds... just don't forget the fresh chilli.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 09:36:19 | More by doktorhops

CanuckRover

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a beautiful light copper. Nice big head settles to a generous film. Lacings are thick and sticky. Looks pretty much perfect.

I can't nail down the fruits here. Tropical certainly. I could take the lacy way out and rhyme off the usual suspects, grapefruit, orange, pineapple, etc. But the aroma is a touch too complex for my nose.

Where the nose is almost delicate, the taste is for the hopheads. Blast of bitterness up front, lovely fruit mid palate, sticky resinous finish. Sweet caramel malt, almost like a barley wine without the heat.

A brilliant beer. I'm no hopheads, but I can certainly appreciate this for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 01:12:07 | More by CanuckRover

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a semi-hazy, deep golden color. One finger, slightly tan head. Mostly frothy with good retention and lacing.

S- Scent is not that dominant, almost somewhat under the radar. Mostly floral and pine hops, but an underlying malt base is slightly detectable as a sweet scent.

T- Drinks more like an APA, than an IPA. Lots of malty characteristics mixed in with a solid hop profile. Hops bitterness most present on the front and back ends of the drink, malts rule the middle.

M- Smooth and thick. A little on the high side for carbonation levels. Little to no alcohol burn, but slight heat on the back end. A very sessionable beer.

Overall, this is a solid beer that only lacks in the scent department. Nothing special in the taste category, but still not bad. Great value for a larger format bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 22:34:18 | More by boilermakerbrew

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy copper colour, nearly two fingers of white head, lots of lace here. Smell is hoppy, pine and citrus fruit, tangerine and pineapple with a little lemon, fairly big biscuity and malty presence as well. Taste is of bitter hop, drying tropical fruit and citrus flavours, grapefruit and pineapple, really big malt presence here as well that balances out the hop and never making it seem harshly bitter. Medium carbonation, medium body, fairly slick and resinous. Nice hoppy pale ale, never quite feels like an IPA though it makes an admirable APA, enjoyable stuff here.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 17:04:27 | More by peensteen

IPA4LIFE

United Kingdom (England)

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A- Beer pours amber verging towards red. Clean white two finger head showed up with moderate retention. Lacing is pretty thin. The color is really nice in this beer.

S- Clean pine and a little honey. The end of the nose is citrus and sweet. Not nearly as powerful on the nose as on the palate, but the hop flavor is present. Not bad at all.

T- Rich sweet, caramel malty body that does a great job of standing up to the hops. Speaking of hops, there is plenty of hop character present with this beer. Piney, and danky with subtle hints of pineapple. A little orange zest and grapefruit at the very end, but the predominate overall flavor is pine and dank. Finish is moderately bitter, but not harsh. Really good flavor.

M- Perfect. Smooth and velvety. Worked great for this beer.

O- Really awesome. Hops are great. I love it. Just enough balance to keep the hops from running wild, while still letting them shine. I really like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 19:37:46 | More by IPA4LIFE

ninaturner

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Amber color, filtered, a little lacing on the glass

Aroma: Earthy hops are what I picked up on mostly

Taste: Not a strong grain taste, but great hop and citrus flavors... especially at the end

Mouthfeel: Great medium mouthfeel, good carbonation

Drinkability: Very drinkable IPA

Overall: Loved drinking this IPA... perfect for a summer beer

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 00:21:32 | More by ninaturner

ArrogantBastard203

4.4/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Disagreeing respectfully with the beer enthusiast below me, I find this brew to be a perfect summer beer. But that might just be my personal taste for palate ruining IPAs. The malts in this beer balance the piney mint hops perfectly and just refresh my after working a long day in the midst of a hot summer.

A- A gorgeous amber that pours with a creamy off white 1 to 2 finger head

S- Hop and malt converge into one unique smell; slightest alcohol tinge.

M- Medium to full mouthfeel, goes down smooth

Overall this is a solid IPA however i can't recollect whether i enjoyed the Northern Hemisphere more. Either way another good one from trustworthy sierra nevada.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 21:15:11 | More by ArrogantBastard203

GeckoPunk

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Copied from Hatchman

From my personal opinion however: The malts are in perfect harmony with the hoppiness. Neither is too strong. Additionally, I feel this is a better Fall beer than a Summer beer. Agree with the light on the pine. Disagree on "very light malt", I think it has a moderate amount. Agree with the mouthfeel. Agree with the price and taste. Well worth the price of the bomber I got.

---

A- Murky copper, looks like it has something too offer you. Great head, very thick, lightly tanned, two finger, lumpy and lingers. The biege head tells me this beer has something to offer.

S- Citrus, hops, very light malt. Smell is just a tad "low" on strength that it could be.

T- Bursting with flavor. Tastes stronger than the smell would dictate. Citrus, hops, lots of orange, light on the pine, very low on the grapefruit. Stronger citrus and a tad lighter hops than an APA/IPA. Much lighter than a double/imperial IPA, but at 100 degree summer temps, this beer works. Just the right amount of malt, biscuity and tasty. Taste is really strong for a $4 24 ounce beer. Strange that the label really raves on the New Zealand hops, but I taste a bit more malt and citrus than the label hints at. But it works.

M- A tad heavy on the carbonation, but could be because it was too cold when served. I was excited to try it so I stuck it in the freezer for a quick chill. But thick, heavy feel. You can almost chew this beer.

D- I REALLY like this beer. This is seriously one of the best beers for the money for the summer. I like a lightly citrus beer with a lot of hops and a great taste and very refreshing without being weak or watered down or too citrus/lemony. This beer is the perfect summer beer. I'm going back for more. A must try for any beer fanatic. And it doesn't even cost that much.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 23:09:11 | More by GeckoPunk

sevenarts

New York

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Dark golden orange, nice big fluffy white head.

S: Sweet citrusy hops, very rich and earthy.

T/M: Delicious, rich, and very sweet. Lots of earthy, ripe hops up front. Very smooth, with a nice rounded sweetness on the followthrough.

O: A really good harvest ale, hoppy and sweet with a rough, earthy quality.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 22:51:46 | More by sevenarts

JustinAniello

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a reddish brown with a two and a half finger head. Slowly dissipates to a substantial cap and nice lacing.

S - Heavy caramel malt with citrusy and piney hops. A bit of fruit esters as well, possibly grape.

T - Malt at first, lightly sweet, turning to a deep pine and bitterness, still heavy in the aftertaste.

M - Medium body and light carbonation. Goes well with the maltiness.

O - Very good IPA, excellent aroma with a good flavor profile. A bit heavy on the bitterness for being so malty at the beginning, but still refreshing, could use more depth. A good cool summer night brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 23:08:25 | More by JustinAniello

heygeebee

Australia

3.48/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Can't really add to 1200 reviews... in short.

Great to look at, amber, 2 finger head looks a delight.

Aromas are muted but in APA/AIPA territory.

Taste is somewhat light, and one dimensional, dull citrus grapefruit/lemon/lime in line with single hop IPA... yep that makes sense. Little malt.

Overall, a beer that's worth trying once, but not standout. May be too old to really stand out :-(

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 08:03:58 | More by heygeebee

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

24-ounce bottle. First batch of the 2012 season. Can't wait.

Rustic burnt red-orange color with a finger of head. Gripping to lace on the glass. Surface foam holding very well long after the pour.

Mild toast aroma for the malts. Herbal hops with a tinge leaning to pine. Not a whole lot going here, but the beer is pretty cold at this point.

Interesting. Lemony and herbal hops with pine notes. Bitterness just short of harsh. There's a light orange note mixed in. That aforementioned toasty malt is here, too--offering balance. Tangy Pez candy flavor. They didn't hit this one out of the park, but it's different and quite tasty.

Smooth, drawing medium body with some good chew for an IPA. Nice scrub from the carb. Well-executed.

Not as good as the Northern Hemisphere version, but I'm enjoying the new Sierra Nevada seasonals. I just wished I would have snagged that sixer of Tumbler! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 03:39:56 | More by thecheapies

bnes09

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Nice orange color with good clarity. Pours a massive frothy head with great retention and lines of lacing with each sip.

Bright, fresh, citrus and pine hop aroma: all American.

Lively flavor boasting floral and pine hops. Malt is quite assertive and adds a biscuity tone. Lemon and orange zest. Just a hint of honey butter blending with the biscuity malt to round out the experience.

Medium bodied, ultra smooth yet finishes with a satisfying dry texture. Excellent carbonation, just the right amount to add depth and bring hoppy flavors to the palate.

A truly exceptional IPA. Nothing else to say.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 02:32:16 | More by bnes09

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had the Northern Hemisphere last year and I'm looking forward to trying this for the first time.

It pours out a pretty deep amber with a good amount of orange and 3 fingers of off-white head.

The aroma has a decent amount of citrus, lemony, and piney hops along with caramel malt.

The taste is not as "fresh" as I would have thought. It's very balanced and easy to drink. There are the citrus and piney hop notes, caramel malt (though not too sweet) and a nice biscuity, breadiness too. Finishes very dry, but not very bitter.

Not a bad beer and this may not be the freshest bottle, but not my favorite either.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 02:02:16 | More by JohnnyMc

secondtooth

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clean amber, with a huge, frothy, and creamy off-white head. Delicate, intricate lace. Top!

Nose is exquisite citrus, tropical pineapple hops goodness.

Tastes well-balanced, with the malts up front and a tropical citrus/grapefruit twang at the finish. Absolutely superb and well-enjoyable, and a great value at the price (As I remember, $4-5 per bomber).

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 16:01:59 | More by secondtooth

Hatchman

Virginia

4.85/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bought at Total Wine in early August as a 24 ounce bottle. Poured in a standard pint glass.

A- Murky copper, looks like it has something too offer you. Great head, very thick, lightly tanned, two finger, lumpy and lingers. The biege head tells me this beer has something to offer.

S- Citrus, hops, very light malt. Smell is just a tad "low" on strength that it could be.

T- Bursting with flavor. Tastes stronger than the smell would dictate. Citrus, hops, lots of orange, light on the pine, very low on the grapefruit. Stronger citrus and a tad lighter hops than an APA/IPA. Much lighter than a double/imperial IPA, but at 100 degree summer temps, this beer works. Just the right amount of malt, biscuity and tasty. Taste is really strong for a $4 24 ounce beer. Strange that the label really raves on the New Zealand hops, but I taste a bit more malt and citrus than the label hints at. But it works.

M- A tad heavy on the carbonation, but could be because it was too cold when served. I was excited to try it so I stuck it in the freezer for a quick chill. But thick, heavy feel. You can almost chew this beer.

D- I REALLY like this beer. This is seriously one of the best beers for the money for the summer. I like a lightly citrus beer with a lot of hops and a great taste and very refreshing without being weak or watered down or too citrus/lemony. This beer is the perfect summer beer. I'm going back for more. A must try for any beer fanatic. And it doesn't even cost that much.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 19:43:27 | More by Hatchman

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

2012 vintage.

Pours a hazy copper with a 2 inch foamy off-white head that settles to a craggy cap on top of the beer. A foamy latticework of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt and some earthy herbal hop aromas. Taste is of malt, herbal hops, and alcohol. There is a fairly high amount of hop bitterness that lingers on the palate long after each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but the mouthfeel is off and the bitterness is quite high which lessens the drinkability in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:28:47 | More by UCLABrewN84

dansmcd

Australia

4.5/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Two fingers of soapy eggshell head with great retention and sticky clumps of lacing, pours a dark shade of burnt orange.

S - Hops, hops, hops. Fruity, juicy hops. Mango, citrus peel, grass and caramel malt. Even with a slight cold this is a knockout.

T - Mango and bitter orange peel, beautiful NZ hops balanced with a bready malt backbone.

M - Creamy full body. Plenty of hop resin bitterness and moderate carbonation.

O - Fresh of the plane and succulent. Not over the top IBUs and all the flavour you could want. My first beer after two weeks with a cold. Just wowed me.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 05:39:09 | More by dansmcd

CloudStrife

New York

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

24oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottled 4/25/12.

A: Pours a clear amber orange with a puffy 2 finger white head. A little bit of visible carbonation. Lacing on the sides of the glass.

S: Mild hop aroma with hints of pepper and citrus. Slightly bready malt backbone. Mostly get a lemon like hop.

T: Nice light citrus hop profile, reminds me of a milder sorachi hop. Has a somewhat spicy citrus hop profile which is nice. Nice lingering hop freshness.

M: Medium/light bodied with average carbonation. Clean finish.

Overall a very unique and enjoyable hop profile. Doesn't wow you in any particular way but is still very tasty. Wouldnt mind trying this one a little fresher.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 01:30:01 | More by CloudStrife

walser

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Large bottle poured into wine glass.
Wonderful head and lean citrus bouquet
Color placid copper.
Lean w mid mouth bitter finishing
w slight bourbon caramel.
Subtler than SN Pale Ale, their best
crafting yet. Perfect lightness for
warm westher drinking.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 16:07:13 | More by walser

jethrodium

California

3.48/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden copper small off-white head that has decent retention and leaves some light lacing on the glass. The aroma is earthy hops, some light grapefruit, white wine grape, caramel, and a light dankness. Taste has a bit of sweetness with some caramel, earthiness, a light mineral note, dank hops, and white wine grape. The finish has a decent bitterness to it with a lingering dankness. Medium body. Medium carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2012 19:49:49 | More by jethrodium

cooler4life

Quebec (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a hazelnut colored two finger head with large bubbles. Beer is a cloudy copper swamp color. Some carbonation can be seen racing to the top. Lacing and retention are standout.

S: Great balance of malt and hops. Lemongrass, burnt sugar, slight essences of tropical fruit.

T: Really good! The New Zealand hops offer something delicate. Bitter with an underlying sweetness provides great drinkability. Roasted malt, herbs, lemon zest and pine come to the surface.

M: Great carbonation, very smooth with only slight stickiness.

O: I think this beer has a lot going for it. I kept drinking waiting for that "ah ha" moment however. I'm torn.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 22:13:18 | More by cooler4life

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

4.9/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a nonic pint.

A - Cloudy (most likely chill haze) copper hue with a three-finger meringue-like head of off-white foam. Tiny bubbled lacing coats every inch of the glass when sipped.

S - Good strong aroma of fresh cut grass, caramel malt, with a hint of spice.

T - Oh my goodness, this is one phenominal tasting beer. Descriptions such as big, lush, juicy, and rich all fit here. Malts are big and bready, with an almost toasted sourdough like quality. Hops are earthy and spicy with a hint of onion, but also with some fruit zest (hints of white grape and grapefruit). A touch of lemon pepper spice in the finish. So well balanced, it's hard to tell where the malts begin and the hops end. Balance carries right through the finish.

M - Big and chewy, with lively carbonation. Slightly creamy, moreso as it warms. Finishes dry. Nice.

O - A masterpiece by Sierra Nevada. I prefer this to the Northern Harvest, which is itself a tremendous beer. This one was very close to being my first "all 5's" beer. If you haven't tried it, I can't recommend it enough.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 03:58:59 | More by TempeBeerMan

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pours a beautiful clean amber with 2 fingers of white fluffy head causing a ton of lacing. smells of grassy and pine hops mainly, very much like fresh cut grass! initial taste is a cross of spicy herbs and burnt caramel. sweet taste of malts is blanket wrapped by a ton of nutty/grassy hops. medium body with a medium amount of carbonation, slight creamy feel on lips.

overall, this is like a light version of hoptimum, heavy version of celebration. needless to say, a very tasty ipa.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 07:01:33 | More by facundoCNB