Fresh Hop Pale Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

32oz Growler from Beverage World. Fresh 2012 release. Served at around 45F.

Pours clear golden amber with a one finger white head that leaves some spots of lacing and holds a small cap.

Aroma is fruity hops, grassy, herbal, good deal of honey bread and caramel malt as well. Balanced. Very good strength.

Flavor starts with resinous hops, grassy and herbal, moves to a substantial malt backbone featuring honey, bread and caramel, generally mirrors the aroma. Smack of bitterness on the finish. Minimal alcohol. Again, very well balanced.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, oily, moderate carbonation.

This is one that I’ve wanted to try for years, but always passed it up for some reason. Decent fresh hop ale, but not my favorite as it is more balanced than I like, fairly malty.

Serving type: growler

10-19-2012 02:59:35 | More by elgiacomo

biggmike

Mississippi

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured an attractive copper color with a generous white head that dissipated slowly leaving a thin layer of head across the top. The aroma is of grassy hops and smells outstanding. The taste is of citrus hops and is medium-bodied. This is a very good beer and very drinkable. I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: growler

01-10-2012 00:49:06 | More by biggmike

JizackFH

New York

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got a growler of this filled at the Whole Foods Bowery Beer Room in NYC.

A - This beer pours a nice clear copper color. It has a 2-figner slightly off-white head resting on top. The head has good retention, and it leaves a nice sheet of lace behind on the glass.

S - The nose has a nice bit of caramel malt and a nice fresh hop aroma. There is also a nice fruity aroma to it, as well as some citrus.

T - The taste starts off with a nice malty sweetness. There is a nice fresh hop flavor that gives off a good amount of bitterness. There are some nice tropical fruit flavors and some citrus zest. The finish leaves behind some lingering sweetness, fruit flavor, and hop bitterness.

M - This has a medium body and good carbonation. It goes down easy and has a nice smooth feel too it. There is a bit of sweetness and medium amount of hop bitterness. There is a bit of citrus zest as well.

O - This has good drinkability. It is a nice refreshing, easy going pale ale, and it really hits the spot. I think this is a really nice beer on a warm summer day, but it works all around as well. The hop flavor is perfect in this for it being a pale ale. Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I would buy it again. I recommend trying it out.

Serving type: growler

11-30-2011 13:32:53 | More by JizackFH

HoopTime

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a freshly filled growler into a Sam's perfect pint glass.

A - Clear golden amber with just a hint of reddish-orange. Pours a thick, foamy 1.5 inch head that retreats slowly leaving a nice froth on the top of the beer and remnants of the head sticking to the glass.

S - Moderate citrusy-pine aroma from the hops, though not as pronounced as other fresh hopped ales I have tried. Hint of caramel..

T - The piney hops taste is the first thing that hits the palate, but it is well-balanced with enough malt sweetness to pleasantly, but not overpoweringly hoppy. Slight citrus with hints of fresh cut grass..

M - Very nicely carbonated, it is light on the tongue and very smooth.

D - I have developed a real liking for fresh-hopped ales and this one does not disappoint. Very drinkable and at 6.1 abv, not too strong to enjoy drinking more than one or two in an evening. A very nice beer.

Serving type: growler

11-15-2010 00:42:56 | More by HoopTime

RockAZ

Arizona

4.46/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just tapped the keg yesterday, May 8th and the paper ring says it was kegged Oct 31 - so it might be a little old to be calling Fresh Hop but I will review it anyways as I liked it very much. Beautiful color, nice carbonation that has some thickness to the foam - coats the glass with lacing patterns. Not a strong scent from it, but what there little there is, is very pleasing. Is 6.1% a session IPA? Well, compared to what I usually drink it is, ...

I like the mouthfeel, it does flow over the tongue and leave some pleasant bitterness followed by dryness in the back corners of the mouth. Only 55 IBU's? Well, I think it is pretty well balanced, recommend you try it on draft. There has always been a "metallic" aftertaste in the bottle versions of this, IMHO.

Later EDIT: discussed this with a couple of friends and they are confirming that the October batches are selling for huge discounts on both keg and bottle - don't let the hype on "Fresh" sway you, the 1/6bbl costs me $40 which is a screaming deal on any IPA of quality. I hear the former $12-13 bombers are going for $3-4, which again, is a heck of a deal on a marvelous beer!

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 15:11:06 | More by RockAZ

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

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a bomber of this for 5 bucks a the house of 1,000 beers. With the great reviews I expect it to be well worth it even though its from October (5 months old.
A - Quite a great appearance a touch darker than I expected for a pale ale but still very clear and mega carbonated making for excellent lacing and a never ending head.
S - Smell is fresh piney hops, some cracker malts, and a touch of pale malts.
T - Very good the hops haven't backed off maybe a bit but it's still very earthy and bitter. The malts seem to balanced good it even borderlines on a IPA with the aggressive hopping.
M - Light to medium, ABV is well hidden. Halfway through the glass it's very balanced and enjoyable.
Overall far from the best fresh hop ales but I believe this may be one of the best pale ale fresh hopped ales I ever drank. Pity it cost 10-13 dollars fresh or I would love to get it again. If you see it now discounted for as cheap as I got it give it a try!

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 23:16:43 | More by DrDemento456

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.99/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: poured from a 22 oz bottle (bottle 10/4/12) into a pint glass, orange amber colored with a huge yellow white head that lingers leaving some lacing, slight haze

S: grassy, citrus hops, grapefruit

T: nice bitter notes without being overpowering, litttle sweetness from malt, grapefruit peel

M: LOTS of carbonation makes this on e kind of sudsy, medium body, nice bitter hop aftertaste, dry finish

O: a nice APA with good bitterness that isn't overly obtrusive or complicated

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:22:30 | More by M_C_Hampton

mactrail

California

3.95/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Handsome amber in the glass with a touch of burnt orange. Nice lacing and pleasantly carbonated.

Flavor and mouthfeel are more like a DIPA. Big and rich with malt. Tangy and winey. The hops are resiny and aromatic, but not as bitter as you might expect in a Pale Ale. Sweet and malty on the tongue, but it dries out in the aftertaste. A great mouthful of flavor and a bigger, better brew than most APAs.

On tap at Zero One in San Angelo, Texas [Transcribed notes from 11/13/2012 tasting].

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2013 04:56:44 | More by mactrail

UnderPressure

South Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Very slightly hazy dark orange beer everlasting three-quarter inch head. pretty decent lacing

intense hop aroma very fruity grapefruit and green and sweet aroma

very great and intense hop flavor and extremely hop forward flavored beer pretty high bitterness really great flavor relatively light beer with a lasting bitter dry finish

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 12:57:11 | More by UnderPressure

Drnkmunky

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

If you like hoppy beer without excessiveness, this is a good one.

Got it in a bomber. Clear deep golden color. Very fragrant nose. Mouth feel is light to medium. Hoppy up front with nice piny finish. Leaves slight hoppy aftertaste.

It's name serves it right. Not quite the stone drink by freshness, but close.

I'm a fan, and I'm just getting to like IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 22:40:24 | More by Drnkmunky

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

SHODriver

California

4.36/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: pours a nice golden hue with a two finger dense white head that retains very well
S: smells of citrus with grapefruit leading the way, a bit of pine and grassyness and a bit of pale malt and caramel in the nose
T: earthy and grassy with some citrus and pine a bit of caramel sweetness comes through as well. the swallow brings more earthyness and pine
M: medium feel in the mouth with nice and soft carb which his perfect
O: Probably one of the best fresh hop ales I've had. It's about two months old so I imagine this was orgasmic when fresh.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 03:53:27 | More by SHODriver

TBoneJones

Texas

3.73/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pure copper, head is basic and recedes quickly. Little evidence of carbonation. Lacing nice though.
Smells light and fresh of some piney hops and fruit notes non-descript, but nice. Maybe berry. Sweet malts barely detected.
Fruity hop mix, apricot, pine, not musty or anything earthy, clean tasting yet balanced with a malt presence that doesn't dominate anywhere (which I like). Beer lives well up to its name. Just not standing out to me as memorable either. I recall liking this even more when I tried it a year ago or so. And this is a fresh bottle as it labeled as being bottled on 10/04/12, and I'm drinking it on 10/24/12 (months late in posting this obviously).
Carbonation feels nice, medium even though it has a thinner appearance to me. Fruit is more subdued than i like, but a slight tropical bitter hop lingers, dry finish, but not strong, crisp.
Overall this beer works as a fine IPA, a clean example, not complex in my opinion , but well-made nonetheless. Until I try some of this brewery's acclaimed stouts, a couple of which I'm still aging a bit, this is about my favorite beer of theirs to date.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 03:41:58 | More by TBoneJones

rangerred

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass out of a 22oz bomber.

Pours a light copper with a slight chill haze. Just a very thin white head that fades rather quickly. Very little lacing left on the glass.

Aroma of pine with a touch of citrus thrown in. A little bit of bread from the malt but flowers and grapefruit really dominate.

The hop flavors are not quite as prominent in the taste compared to the aroma but they are still the number one feature of the beer. More malt sneaks in in the way of wheat bread and a little dark caramel but it is just barely enough to balance the hops. Bitterness is on the high side leading to a fairly dry finish with just a little stickyness.

Overall, a good APA but a little too average. Even with it being fresh hopped there just isn't a whole lot here that really sticks out to set this beer apart from the thousands like it out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:57:55 | More by rangerred

Durtdiggler

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bomber into tulip glass, clear orange in color with 2 finger head and nice lacing around the glass. Bottle date 10/2012.

I don't pick up any hops, rather sweet malt, bready character with orange rind. Kind of disappointed the beer doesn't have more hop character.

Beer is tasting more on the sweet side, slightly syrupy. The caramel malts overwhelm the hop character of this beer. Unbalanced, too much malt. It has a soft feel too it and finishes clean.

Medium bodied beer, very easy drinking, smooth and soft yet effervescent.

I had big expectations given the experiences with Great Divide. It's a good beer but there are better choices. Nothing stood out as far as complexity with aroma or flavor. Maybe I had an off bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 00:50:46 | More by Durtdiggler

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fresh Hop Pale Ale opens to a bright, citrusy, piney hoppy nose that makes immediately apparent the freshness of the hops that went into the beer. Layers of pink grapefruit, grapefruit rind, grass, pine resin, sweet rosewater, mint, and eucalyptus rest in light, but finely nuanced layers atop a bed of lovely malts. These latter ingredients bring pleasant sugars to the mix, including brown sugars, and an assortment of sweet fruit esters: orange, berry, cherry, apricot. So sweet are these sugars that there seems to be even a touch of candi sugar. Toast crust and wet wheat add a bit of earthiness. As a whole, this is an excellent nose, far outreaching the expected volumes of aroma that usually come from such a light beer (6.1% ABV). The aromas do focus mainly on hops (perhaps a 60/40 split), but the malts are present in enough quantity to nicely balance the beer out.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a lovely hop blast: grapefruit, grapefruit rind, pine resin, eucalyptus, mint, dandelion stem, grass, and rosewater flow over the tastebuds. The hops are geared more toward the bitter end of the spectrum, but not overly so, the 55 IBUs providing a near-perfect balance between flavor and bitterness, and the hop flavors themselves featuring an excellent array of tones. Sweet brown sugar, candi sugar, and fruit esters (orange, apricot, berry, cherry) help keep the hops from overpowering everything, and a nice array of toast crust, biscuit, and cereal from the grains adds earthiness. The aftertaste is a long-lingering hop burn, being perhaps slightly more bitter than was present in the main mouthful. Mouthfeel is a slightly oily medium-light to medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is excellent beer, and it’s amazing to see what Great Divide can do to a pale ale: the difference between this and a standard offering in the style is akin to the difference between Michelangelo and a talented high school student. The sheer variety and potency of flavors in here is impressive, made all the more so by the light ABV and the mid-range IBUs. Well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 18:14:10 | More by jondeelee

Googs

New York

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a RR pint glass. Bottled 10.5.2012

A: Fluffy white head. An inch head that dissolves in minutes to a small layer of medium sized bubbles. Golden/copper in color. How I like my pale ales/IPAs to look.

S: Floral and fresh hops

T: Nice pale malts accompanied by floral, grassy, citrusy hops. Ends fairly bitter. A refreshing brew.

M: Smooth and a bit creamy. Good level of carbonation on this one. An easy drinker with bitterness that stays on the palate

O: A nice fresh hop pale ale that went well with the spicy chinese food I was eating. I'd have this again and I'm looking forward to having it on draft. I enjoyed this year's Founders Harvest ale better though.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 22:39:10 | More by Googs

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from tap into a sampler tumbler. Poured golden yellow-orange with a half finger off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, earth, earth hop, spice, and spicy hop. The flavor was of sweet malt, earth, earth hop, citrus, citrus hop, and spice. It had a light feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty decent brew. The hoppiness aspect going on here really carried on throughout the entire glass in both the aroma and flavor. The flavor was fairly well balanced and inviting. If I hadn’t been on a ticking spree this day I likely would have had a full pint of this one without hesitation. Definitely worth your time trying if you have not done so before.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2012 12:09:31 | More by thagr81us

denver10

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours clear, golden with a effervescent white head.Flavor and aroma matched each other quite well offering some nice bright floral and grassy hops on top of a sweet crackery malt belly. A lighter, active mouthfeel. Overall, an enjoyable beer. Glad I got to try try, would happily drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 01:52:24 | More by denver10

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 10/8/12

A: Copper in color with a big, sticky, pillowy, white head. Good lace and retention.

S: Grassy, fresh hops with honey-sweet malt.

T: Fresh, delicious hops balanced by sweet, sugary malt. One of the maltier/more balanced fresh hop beers I've had. Tastes closer to an amber/red ale. I'd love to have several bottles on-hand at all times during hop harvest season.

M: Very clean, smooth, and fresh but can be a bit cloying as it warms.

O: One of the better fresh hop beers out there. Wish I could have had this closer to the bottling date but it's held up well after more than a month in the bottle and a trip across the country.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:37:58 | More by Gatch

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz, bottle 10/5/12
The Bruery tulip

A: Pours a really pretty slight amber orange color. About a finger of white fluffy head. Looks like good carbonation with tiny bubbles streaming up the sides of the glass. Some slight lacing.

S: Definitely getting that citrus hop aroma on the nose. Some orange peel, some slight pine hints. Clean grassy notes.

T: The flavor isn't quite as pronounced as the nose. On the tip of the tongue, nice bitterness. Getting that punch of citrus and orange peel. That bitter pine cone kick. Towards the middle of the mouth, the malt bill comes in to match some of the hops. You do a sort of fresh cut grass feel here. It's nice. Clean dry finish. Maybe some slight lingering bitterness.

M: It's a medium bodied ale. The bitterness makes your mouth water.

A very solid beer. Right up there in the fresh hop brews this year.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 20:56:13 | More by inlimbo77

ESPNman

California

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Stone IRS Snifter

A - It pours an almost crystal-clear burnt orange. Think University of Texas orange. One and a half fingers of eggshell-white head. It hangs around for a bit, giving way to some decent lacing.

S - Lots of floral hops, a bit of fresh-cut-grass, and some dank skunky weed smell. It smells fresh and dirty, all at the same time.

T - Much like the nose, a lot of that wet and sticky hops shining through. Very grassy, and very dank. A decent amount of malt balances it out with a subdued sweetness.

M - Pretty light on the palate, moderate carbonation. Not particularly aggressive, and somewhat creamy.

O - One of the better fresh hop beers I've had. It really hits that wet / fresh / dank note, but it's rounded out well with a floral hop backing.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 04:01:07 | More by ESPNman

AmitC

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My first wet hop or fresh hop ale. Was dying to have this beer. Great divide looks like an awesome brewery with good line up of beers especially IPAs and a lot of experimental stuff.

Had it at beer tasting. Poured from a 22oz bomber.

Regular color of an IPA. Amber, slight copper hue. Small one finger thick head. Medium to low carbonation. Clear and transparent in the glass.

Smell very grassy, from a distance. Prominent hops, slight citrus. Malt and sweetness is not felt at all.

Taste is where it feels like heaven. Extremely hop prominent. Very distinct from other dry hopped APAs. As grassy and fresh as i have ever had. I have smelled and tasted dry, leafy and pellet hops. This one is hell a lot better. You can get a feel(smell and taste wise) of what a freshly harvested hop would be like. Smell is more pronounced when you are devouring it. Just like other APA and IPA stuff. Awesome fresh feel and it seemed to transport me into a grass guzzling panda like world. More upfront on hops and still not very bitter of APAs. Good balance between malts and the type of hops used.

Mouth feel : Less oily. But very smooth. Medium bodied feel.

Excellent brew. Would certainly like to have it again and again.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 00:08:44 | More by AmitC

COYS1984

2.9/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours beautiful copper/gold with nice inch of white foam. Nose is bold, grassy, funkiness. Some citrus peel and melon are detected as well. The flavor definitely picks up that dank grassiness in a big overwhelming way. There is some fruitiness in the finish as well. Mouthfeel is decent with good amount of carbonation. IMO it drinks heavy for what I would classify an APA. Ultimately it just didn't do it for me. Lacked nothing in terms of flavor but the flavor just didn't work on my palate. Far too one dimensional with a dank mulchiness that struggled to achieve any complexity.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 19:20:56 | More by COYS1984