Fresh Hop Pale Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

allengarvin

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22 oz bomber, poured into an English pint glass. Ever so hazy amber with a creamy half inch head and excellent lacing. Huge bouquet of fresh hops, like smelling a bag of hops, all piney resin and floral and grassy. Even better than the aroma of the Dogfish Head 90, I think. Beautiful burst of hop flavor, rather woody, with a side of fresh-mown grass, but not much citrus hop character, followed by a solid lightly nutty malt underpinning when the hop flavor fades. It's bitter, but far less than I expected, certainly less than Great Divide's recent IPA's. Body is not heavy... a pleasant medium.

This is one of the best beers I've had in 2005. Great Divide has been a multi-year roll of brilliantly brewed beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2005 23:26:03 | More by allengarvin

timmy2b

New York

4.7/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

growled from consumers beverage in East Amherst NY.

poured a nice amber color with a nice white head, and had an awesome smell with the scent of pine and hops!

Feels light in the mouth and is very easy to drink! I would reccomend this as a nice beer to drink while watching football on a saturday or sunday as I am doing right now!

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2007 01:13:48 | More by timmy2b

BritCvS

Virginia

4.7/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Fast becoming my favorite. Waited for it to become a little warmer from the fridge. Bomber, poured into a Riedel glass.

A: Outstanding head, rich, thick. Amazing belgian lace. A rich brown, ever so slightly cloudy. Really looks like an excellent British bitter.

S: Grass, freshness, citrus. A little tiny bit of pine. Lovely.

T: Superb taste, warm malts balanced with amazing hops. Perfect.

M: not too much carbonation. Long, long flavor. Great hoppiness. Easy malts.

O: Wonderful. Do try it.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 02:31:49 | More by BritCvS

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.68/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a nice copper tone, with a good sized head that has some nice clumping and staying power as well as some decent lacing throughout. Smell is wonderfully hopped, like a pine cone dipped in orange juice! Fantastic full hoppy smell. Taste is right up with the smell. Full on hops from the gate. Piney, very grassy and citus, AWESOME. Very smooth with a nice dry aftertaste that begs you to come back for more.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2006 00:09:05 | More by mikesgroove

skinny0ne

New Jersey

4.68/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It has a great foamy head that lasts. The color is a perfect amber. The aroma has plenty of hops and grains and a hint of citrus. The flavor is all hops. But it's not overpowering. Towards the back and in the finish is a bit of grapefruit. And around the edges is some sweet malt. Really a great balance between them all. None overpower. The hops are strong but not brash. It's not an overhopped double IPA. This is as great drinking beer. I thoroughly enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2009 00:57:29 | More by skinny0ne

rowew

Colorado

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 22 oz bomber. Description of the brewing, and the overnighted hops, but no date information.

Appearance: Pours a copper color with just the slightest haze. Nice white head that fades slowly and leaves quite a bit of lacing.

Smell: Very strong fresh hop aroma - different from the dried hops you usually smell at breweries. This is a grassy, fresh aroma - just like the Yakima fields!

Taste: The fresh hops continue to the taste. Grassy, fresh flavor that is different than I have tried in many other beers. Similar to Sierra Nevada's harvest, but more hop flavor. Just enough malt to keep things from getting out of control.

Overall impression: Great example of what you can do with fresh hops - definitely another quality offering. Hopefully this will be an annual event!

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2005 20:26:02 | More by rowew

cheers2beers

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a tall flute glass:

Appearance: Poured a medium orange pumpkin to golden hue.Slightly cloudy.Gorgeous two finger white head that fell to a small ring around my glass followed by an impressive laceing.

Aroma: A blast of fresh hop aromas,piney,sweet smelling tree sap.Hop oils blended with sugary pale malts,followed by a candied sour apple.

Taste: Like the nose the hops explodes in your mouth but not to overpowering,the pines are still present,but are very balanced with the malts in this pale ale.Not as sweet in flavor as in the nose but just enough to make your mouth water.Its a medium finish with just enough bitterness. OHH so balanced.

Mouthfeel: First impression: CRISP.Coats the mouth ever so slightly with a never perfect level of carbonation.I had to swallow several times to cleanse the small bubbles that it leaves behind.

Drinkability: Superb,I could see this beer to be the pale ale of choice for me.They need to put this in sixers and a regular rotation.Overall and again, a good buy.

Cheers2Beers

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2006 23:00:01 | More by cheers2beers

mynie

Indiana

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Darn near perfect APA pour. Bright orange rust with a one and onehalf finger tight, white head that;s all sticky and retentive.

Bright hops. Flowers and citrus. Yummy. And exceptionally potent.

A nice hop kick at the front. Two distinct flavors, dry flowers and juicy grapefruits. This is not too intense, letting you know it's an APA and not an IPA. Moves gradually into a bready yeast that disolves and gives way to a fantastically dry and sweet caramel malt. Wonderful balance.

This is an APA to treasure. One of the most drinkable very hoppy beers I've ever had!

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2006 06:22:22 | More by mynie

umustdrink

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Scored this little gem at Dennis Brothers for only $5

A - Medium-dark orange color, opaque. Bright white head, rocky, fades to a thick film in the center, thicker around the edges. Lacing is average.

S - Fragrant, pungent, strong, sweet, piney hops (a very hoppy smelling beer). Sweet, sugary and spicy. Also an earthy, grassy smell.

T - Starts with a nice citrus hoppy taste, quickly goes into a bitterness nicely balanced with a spicy malt. Finish is a very earthy malty taste. There's pretty much 3 outlying characteristics in this taste: hoppy bitterness, spiciness and sweetness, all flavors very nicely compliment eachother throughout the drink. This is what a pale ale should taste like.

M - Consistency is thin to medium, slightly grainy and thin to medium carbonation.

D - This is a VERY good beer with an awesome taste (for the style). Definitely my favorite APA I've had, I like it a lot better than Alpha King. And unfortunately this is the only Great Divide beer I can't get in Duluth!

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2007 01:37:30 | More by umustdrink

TastyTaste

Minnesota

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pretty standard clear copper color with a creamy white head.

Smell: I want cologne that smells like this beer, or room fresheners, possibly. Pungent and spicy, sweet and sticky all things hops floral and citrus. All hops, and it smells amazing.

Taste: Very fresh and piney tasting, althoguh not as strongly hopped, intensity wise, but a nice aroma and hop flavor. More pine and citrus. Slightly sweet, but hops are really on display here, a delicious beer that could easily be sessioned.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and full, sharp spike at the end of the flavor. Very good.

Drinkability: I like the fresh hop style, i think this is my 3rd or 4th, and they are always delicious, the way they bring out the flavors of the hop, but not piling it on like IPAs (not that that is a bad thing). This is a good example.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2005 16:25:26 | More by TastyTaste

EStreet20

New Jersey

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22 ounce bomber, 20 ounce nonic.

A - Hazy golden amber with a tiny tint of red with a one and a half finger, nearly white head. Head has nice staying power. Little lace rings pop up sporadically on the glass.

S - Beautiful citrusy hops on the aroma. Nice fresh cut lawn smell nehind there. I love the smell of these harvest ales.

T - A nice hoppy punch for your taste buds but not overpowering. Great citrusy hop taste along with some pine. However, this beer is also surprisingly well balanced and has a clean taste. Very well put together.

M - A great medium bodied feel that is perfect for the amount of hop punch this brew has along with all the delicately balanced flavor.

D - Excellent. This brew goes down like a pale ale of much smaller proportions. The hops do not overpower and really just provide an all around great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2006 04:56:43 | More by EStreet20

WaveRebel51

Nebraska

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

If only this was readily available 365 days a year. Has a nice, deep amber appearance. The foam from the pour has that fresh from the fermenter look. Smells like fresh-cut grass after a nice mist of rain. The taste is truly exceptional -- piney taste of hops hits up front, but balanced with malt creaminess. A real, refreshing grassy, pine-like taste, which probably comes from the fresh hops. If you like Pales and IPAs, do whatever takes to give this a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2007 19:51:03 | More by WaveRebel51

kimcgolf

Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours to a bright copper color with thick off-white head that lingers for the whole glass and leaves very good lacing. Very strong, very hoppy citrus aroma, leads to a very tingly, full mouthfeel, and this in turn carries over to a bitter citrus hop flavor that is biting, yet pleasant.

Finally, the finish is very bitter, long lasting and dry, just as I would expect from this style. Very possibly the best APA I’ve ever had.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2007 11:36:39 | More by kimcgolf

BMoney575

Michigan

4.6/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on 3-10-07

Pours a pleasant orange-gold color with a huge ice-cream white head that lasts forever.

Smells like citrusy hops, with a hint of a malty backbone.

Taste is fantastic. A sweet malty flavor underneath followed by a potent citrus and pine hop flavor and good amount of bitterness.

Mouthfeel is very good, a nice thickness adds to the hoppy flavor.

Drinkability is good, the flavor is memorable without being overpowering.

Overall an outstanding APA. Extremely well balanced malt and hops makes this one of the best pale ales I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2007 01:49:46 | More by BMoney575

yemenmocha

Arizona

4.6/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours translucent dark amber with generous white head that retains well, and is very meringue like.

Nose reminds me of black Ceylon tea, metallic notes, and a grapefruit from across the room.

On the palate the tea like malty sweetness comes through beautifully with balanced hops giving a modest citrus kick and to help dry things out. I'm detecting what I think is some Centennial, so I'm quite pleased to say the least.

Medium to light bodied and very, very drinkable. Refreshing, easy going, yet still flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 02:55:56 | More by yemenmocha

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hazed orange. Thin, tight ivroy white head. Good retention and intricate lace properties. Great aroma of fresh hops, orange marmalade based malt derivatives and grassy, pungent hop oils. This all follows through on the buds. Bright citric hop tones of grapefruit and lemon peel. Grassy. Very fresh tasting even though this is months old. Malt provides a solid backbone and is toffeeish and caramelly in nature. Some of that marmalade character comes through as well. Medium bodied and moderately carbonated. Yet another nice accomplishment by Great Divide. They have been impressing the hell out of me over the past year or so.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2006 05:04:41 | More by Bighuge

Erdinger2003

Iowa

4.58/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The head is foamy and a learge until it falls thin and leaves a nice bit of lacing behind it as it goes. The color is brown to gold and clear, very inviting.

The smell is very hoppy and aromatic, has amarillo and cascade hops and is very fruity with some mellow lemon and orange.

The taste is predominetly amarillo hops with lots of bitter taste and a little fruitiness of lemon and orange.

Mouthfeel is smooth and feels nice on the palate.

I will buy this more often because it is so good. I love amarillo hops and this is a little better than Sierra Nevada.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2006 03:08:26 | More by Erdinger2003

ommegangpbr

New York

4.58/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Man, if this could be a year round offering. Alas, what makes it so good also makes it somewhat rare.
Looks unassuming enough. A clear amber color and a bright white head appear upon pouring.
Smells... well, like fresh hops, or what I imagine fresh hops to smell like. There's something of a lemony seltzer thing going on, but far more appealing than any lemon flavored seltzer. Flavors again refer to that lemony seltzer thing with a delicate malt character. Cool, bubbly tea brewed with hop leaves.
The feel on the palate is a bit resinous but it cleans up nicely after a little bit. This is one of those brews that I find it difficult to not guzzle down as quickly as possible. I'd get this by the case if that was feasible but I imagine that this one doesn't age too gracefully. Everything delicious about this beer revolves around the fresh characters. With all this freshness going around, this is a refreshing beer. Get some if you can.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2007 00:05:59 | More by ommegangpbr

wanker

Texas

4.58/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - I usually don't care at all about appearance, but the head on this beer was so dense and pillowy that it really caught my attention. I don't recall ever seeing a denser, more attractive head on a beer.

S - pleasant, mild hoppy smell

T - beautifully balanced. Hoppy, but not too hoppy. As advertised on the bottle, the hops taste really fresh.

M - thick and velvety, but not at all syrupy.

D - unparalleled.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2008 13:23:19 | More by wanker

scoobybrew

Iowa

4.58/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This was poured from the bottle into a pint glass.

A - clear light copper color with a thick, ice-cream-like foamy head that has excellent retention, leaves a nice lacing as it drains

S - strong, resiny American hop aroma with a touch of malt

T - strong American hop flavors with a strong malt backbone and moderately assertive hop finish

M - medium body, moderate carbonation

D - This is truly a fantastic American pale and perhaps one of my most recent favorite discoveries. I've always like APAs, but until recently they haven't held much interest for me. This one certainly got my attention. The hop flavors and aroma are vibrant and wonderful - a must try if you can.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2009 01:03:59 | More by scoobybrew

oberon

North Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A nice offering found here in Greensboro,poured a rich copper with a fluffy 2 finger head that left a nice sheet of lace behind as it settles.The label says whole hop cones are shipped wet overnight to Denver to be brewed the very next day after being shipped and let me tell ya the aroma of this baby shows it.Intense grassy,piney,resiny goodness smacks you in the face and the aromas just continue to linger well after being poured.The big dose of fresh hops are not overpowering in this brew yeah its big and resiny but there is a sweet caramel malt backbone that holds up extremely well.At 55 IBU's its not insanely bitter but the freshness of the hops makes it immensley flavorful,I will be getting more of this very very soon for sure.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2005 22:43:59 | More by oberon

gbontrag

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

color of apple juice at in front of a 60watt bulb. The froth is fantastic, and sticky. It's coated the glasses superbly with rings of lace that track my gulps like tree rings track growth.
Smells like yellow grapes and grapefruits.
Resiny and tingling--my tastebuds are ringing with fresh herb oils: wild bergamot. Citrus skins and drops of pine essence clad in silky malts hug my tongue . Mildly fruity. Drinks like a fresh, clear cider. I find this very sensual with a lingering and enticing aftertaste. It's like necking on a warm lawn.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2005 05:36:38 | More by gbontrag

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Golden body, good clarity, tons of fine carbonation streams, topped by a fist worth of heaping billowing off-white froth. Stylish lacing stretches like Spider-man's webs.

Inviting, intoxicatingly fresh hop aromas, bits of flowers and pine and juicy citrus.

All those fresh hops in the nose show up right at the start of the taste too. They are not overpowering though, they just don't let the malt get its moment in the sun. Instead this beer is balanced from start to finish, a sweet caramel layer on the bottom slathered with fresh juicy fruity hops roaring down the strip together.

Good solid medium mouthfeel flows easily and damn too quickly.

A very well done example of the expanding fresh hop family, hurry and seek this out before it grows stale.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2006 00:35:42 | More by RonfromJersey

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Poured into a pint glass. Cloudly amber color. A good inch and half of white head. A really great looking beer.

S - Got your hops right here. Citrus, honeysuckle, grapefruit and a sweeter citrus; like a ripe orange.

T - Great balance of bitter hops and sweeter malt, with the hops winning out. Of course they do, it is a fresh hop ale. The aftertaste of bitterness lasts for awhile afterward.

M - Sublime. Very soft body, carbonation dances on the tongue. I am not sure what it is, but the texture of the beer is amazing.

D - Best fresh hop ale I have had this season and a great ale overall. The body really surprised me, to have the bitterness biting at the tongue with the softness of the beer really created a perfect experience.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 23:13:47 | More by Fatehunter

CHickman

New York

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Pours a very hazy gold orange color with a creamy 2 finger off white head that faded slowly and left a creamy layer on top, very good lacing that left rings as it went down. Looks more IPA than APA, which must be from the hops.

Smells of fresh piney and citrus hops, grapefruit, caramel, biscuit, grass, orange peel, herbs and light floral hops. Fresh and hoppy, it's more IPA than pale ale and I'm loving it. Just enough malt backbone in the nose to make this almost perfect.

Tastes as good as it smells, with fresh piney hops, citrus hops, grapefruit, lemon zest, caramel, biscuit, breadcrust, grass, orange peel, herbs, tea leaf, flowers and light floral hops. The fresh hops are potent and delicious, with a sweet and bitter variety that seems to cover all hops type and flavors; in short, it was extremely tasty and one of the best tasting pales ales that I've ever had. A notch below Zombie Dust and above Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Mouthfeel is smooth and almost crisp, with a medium body, light zesty carbonation and a bitter finish which was on the light bitter side, with a nice balanced mix of bready malts and juicy hop sweetness. A top notch pale ale that was incredibly easy to drink and could be great on its own or paired with food. Overall it was fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 04:05:23 | More by CHickman