Fresh Hop Pale Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a crystal clear medium copper in color with light notes of orange and light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall sudsy off-white head that slowly reduces to medium sized area of very thin film and a thin ring of large bubbles at the edge of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of pine/resin hops with some lighter notes of grassy hops. There is a light to moderate amount of bitterness in the smell.

T: Upfront the beer has a light flavor of caramel malt sweetness that is quickly overtaken by the strong hop flavors - pine/resin, followed by light amounts of grassy, and moderate amounts of orange/citrus in the finish. Moderate to heavy amounts of bitterness but they fade quickly.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Pretty well balanced making the beer fairly easy to drink - also, it is not overly bitter. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 01:09:23 | More by dbrauneis

sukwonee

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark orange clear body with 2 finger head, good retention

S: Hops hops hops. citrus, lemon, some sweetness from the malt, orange peel.

T: Other than some bitterness towards the end, it's all citrus hops and sweet malt. Simple and great. I don't get too much grass as written on the bottle.

M: Medium thickness with decent amount of carbonation.

O: Super easy to drink pale ale. Very pricey though ($7.99 for 22oz).

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 05:29:47 | More by sukwonee

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled 10/08/12
Opened 10/17/12

P:  Pours a crystal clear pale copper with effervescence and a crown of bone colored bubbly head. Lacing is wet but hangs well. 

S:  Super fresh grassy, citrus cones, hickory wood chips, subtle caramel malt base with a faint aroma of milk that has been spilt in the refrigerator (not soured).

T/M:  Clean juicy citrus hops, lemon zest, timid citrus dish soap, melon, grapefruit, fresh, peaches, pine needles, treated wood, fresh grass clippings and cereal grain.  The body is medium and creamy with zesty carbonation. The aftertaste once first swallowed is similar to cream soda. Finish is smooth and semi dry lingering orange oil and grapefruit. 

O:  I was so excited when I grabbed this off the shelf. 9 days old, super fresh. Alas, I was kinda let down. Don't get me wrong it's a great beer but I expected much more. The aroma has something odd that is dairy like and wrong. Not to the point of ruin but still wrong. The hops are really fresh and the overall flavors are well balanced. Expectations aside this is a great pale ale. 

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 02:38:40 | More by Hopswagger

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle opened on 10.15.12
Bottled Oct 3, 2012

A - Pours a clear, darker orange with a one inch off-white head with a good retention and lacing.

S - Grass, pine, orange peel.

T - Grass, then bitter citrus and a sweet pine finish.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body and a creamy mouthfeel.

O - Dank and grassy for a normally pale and light beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 07:02:31 | More by HuskyinPDX

macrosmatic

Florida

3.48/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from bomber into CCB pint glass.

A: Pours a very clear amber, very small white head, and essentially no visible carbonation - only an occasional stray bubble.

S: Somewhat muted. Bits of pine hops, grass, and a strong caramel malt.

T: Flavor follows the nose. Grass and pine hops, caramel malts.

M: Medium body, minimal carbonation sensation, no particular alcohol presence.

O: I'm am thoroughly disappointed in this bottle. Both bottles I had last year had huge wet hoppiness of grass and barnyard...completely blew me away. All of those flavors I was looking forward to are missing this year. Don't know if this was a bad bottle or what. The bottled date was exactly one week before I was drinking it, so freshness shouldn't have been an issue. It wasn't a terrible beer as is, but not at all what I expected. If additional bottles this year change my mind, I'll update this review.

EDIT: An additional bottle, sadly, did not change my review. It's still not even in the ballpark of what last year's was. I'm sure I'll try again next year, but I'm done for '12.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 17:46:37 | More by macrosmatic

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle (dated Oct. 3, 2012) into a becker pint glass.

Pours a honey golden with rich amber hues with a fluffy one and half finger head. The smell of sweet pineapple and fresh grassy notes on the nose is very inviting. Opens with pineapple, flora, and grassy accents, joined by slight breadiness and malt with just the perfect level of sweetness to balance this brew midpalate. Finishes smooth with just a hint of grapefruit rind and pine sap and a slight bite. Medium bodied with a slick, oily, and slight soapy mouthfeel, perfect for a wet hop ale. I look forward to this brew every year. The drinkability of the brew is exceptional as the other characteristics of the brew are not overwhelmed by intense bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 03:57:08 | More by chanokokoro

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

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

A: 3/4" cream coloured head over cloudy amber liquid.

S: Sweet biscuity malt, tangerine and leafy, grassy hops.

T: Grass, lemon, pineapple, tangerine, earth and leafy hop flavours over a sweet biscuit and honey malt backbone.

M: Creamy medium viscosity and a medium level of carbonation. Resiny, particularly near the bottom of the bottle.

O: I really liked this one, it is extremely easy drinking and it has a great creamy mouth feel.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 04:59:40 | More by DaftCaskBC

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

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

From notes while camping last week.

Appearance. Lightly hazy gold-amber with a finger of off white heac and some great lacing.

Smell. Sweet dried pineappe, oranges and guava with a little toasty caramel malt.

Taste. Toasted light grains with some tropical fruits, some grassy hops, a little pine, and a bit of bitter grapefruit rind in the finish.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, medium-low carbonation.

Overall. Nice hoppy pale with an awesome tropical fruit smell.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 01:42:56 | More by Rutager

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bottle. Reviewed from Notes.

(Appearance) pours a thick 2 finger billowing head of a very rough sea foam texture, color is a deep cream tone. Retention is a medium, and lacing is spotty. Color is a pale orange with some medium haziness. Carbonation is plentiful and spritely. 3.5

(Smell) A medium hop tone, about 75% citrusy and 25% grassy. Aroma is quite wet by nature and pairs pretty well with a medium bready malt bill. It's a mild wet hop aroma, pleasant and mild overall. 3.5

(Taste) A very grassy hop aroma and even less citrus suggests that the hop content has largely faded, leaving a murky hop and malt aroma behind, not terrible but not too satisfying. Fruit tones are present but in low supply. There manages to keep a pretty good balance still of bitter to sweet without overpowering either. Decent. 3

(Mouthfeel) Mild citrus aroma and a little chewy but pairs quite nicely with the medium tones of this harvest ale. Light/medium body, low to no alcohol presence. 4

(Overall) Pretty good brew but there's certainly a marked difference between a fresh batch and one that has been around for a while. Get this and enjoy it as fresh as possible, or miss out on a lot of content. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 01:36:23 | More by Jadjunk

chodinheaven

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beautiful and clear beer that is golden yellow in the thin part of the glass and a rich orange-amber in the thicker parts. A thick and foamy off-white head resides on top and dissapates very slowly leaving thick lacing with it. The smell is full of resiny and earthy hops, definitely grassy in character. There is a matching malt background, grainy in character with a nice caramelly breadiness to it. Lots of aroma and very pleasing and challenging for the nose.

If the freshness, or "wetness", of the hops is what makes this beer pop, then Great Divide should do this with all their pales or IPAs. The resin in the hops is evident with an earthy bite, but unlike some resiny beers, this one remains perfectly balanced. The resin flavors blend so effortlessly with the caramel and bread in the malt that you just can't wait for another sip. There is a pleasant citrus juiciness in the middle back, just before the bitterness and resin takes hold. The medium body suits it well, with a medium to high carbonation that helps prickle the tongue playfully with the hops. The only negative that I can see to hold it back a little is that its almost too clean in the front to middle of the palate. This split second of doubt is washed away the instant the bold and bitter but balanced hops hit the middle-back. The finish is quick and clean, but the aftertaste lingers on for a while with a fresh, clean bitterness.

This is a really nice pale ale and the type of hop really seems to make a big difference. The freshness adds a touch of that earthy, grassy feel while remaining juicy, citrusy and finally dry and bittering. Really good beer here, very drinkable and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 07:07:05 | More by chodinheaven

kylehay2004

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Single finger head with nice lacing on a golden with amber tones hazy body. This one is very aromatous, with citrus mostly pineapple with hops and a subtle pine note. The taste is a bit of a let down. Mostly a musty hop flavor withe a soapy finish. Actually a little plain. Maybe I was expecting too much from a pale ale. Very drinkable and smooth. Medium body and moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 03:42:21 | More by kylehay2004

chocosushi

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smokestack Glass
A ~ Pours copper/amber with fine carb. Light specks of lace. Filtered clarity.

S ~ Mango pulp, grass clippings with a stanky edge reminiscent of pumpkin meat & cat pee. Sharp hop aroma all in all!

T ~ Mango follows through with orange & lemon peel. Floral (Daisy?) & herbal, with loads of lawnmower clippings. Malty finish reminiscent of toasted wheat bread with honey.

M ~ Very grassy & herbal on the palette. Heat is light & it is very easy to drink. What is truly great about this beer is that that pale malt still shines through. Hops are not solo here.

D ~ Well balanced & extremely drinkable. Why is this not in Six packs?

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 00:28:10 | More by chocosushi

TheCrowsNest

California

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

Aroma...
Great Divide's Fresh Hop opens up with a very light citrus scent that coats a delicate caramel backbone.

Appearance...
A brilliantly clear copper that affirms suspicions that dry hopping was avoided here because they used wet hops (this statement could very well be false). Long lasting head. Very little lacing.

Flavor...
A delicate grapefruit flavor starts out and fades into fleeting bitterness. There's about as much malt in the taste as there was in the aroma - you know it's there but it's not the focus.

Mouthfeel...
Medium-light bodied with shmedium carbonation.

Overall...
Fresh Hop is a sessionable pale ale that will also please the discerning beer lover out there. In a world of fist-to-mouth IIIIPA's (yeah, four Is) this is a nice break that offers a rare opportunity to reflect on the complexity that can be found in a pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 01:43:47 | More by TheCrowsNest

BucannonXC5

California

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

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass. Color was pale honey. Decent amount of head, maybe 1 ½ inches. Frothy white lacing on the top. Bubbly gray film on the sides.

Smelled citrus hops with grapefruit and tangerine coming through first. Sweet caramel malts as well.

Tasted citrus hops from the beginning, which wasn’t surprising given the smell, but surprising for a pale ale. More grapefruit than tangerine here. Bitterness on the tongue after.

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Bitter finish.

I liked this beer and went back and forth on a host of ratings, but decided to settle on my initial thoughts. I’d definitely give it another go.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 06:39:17 | More by BucannonXC5

thesaint6169

Pennsylvania

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

Poured a nice amber color with about a 1 finger head. There was a slight citrus aroma and also a malty smell. There was a nice bitterness with a malt sweetness coming through as well. Got more pine flavors from the hops than citrus. It had about a medium body to it, not a very heavy beer, very easy to session.

This was the first beer that I've had from Great Divide and was very impressed and cant wait to crack open the bottle of Yeti I have in the basement. Fresh Hop was very easy to drink which is nice. You can easily have a bomber to yourself or split it with someone which is half the fun of craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 02:31:14 | More by thesaint6169

isaiahcutright

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

P: Pours a light amber with a brilliant white 2 finger head.

S: lots of floral hops grassy overall delightful.

Taste: smooth a nice bitterness bite a touch of sweetness.

Mouthfeel: A nice overall smoothness to this fresh hopped pale ale.

Overall: another solid brew from the Great Divide folks just a great drinking beer if only we could have this fresh all year.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 01:04:26 | More by isaiahcutright

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

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

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

A-Pours a slightly hazy, translucent orange with a thick, rocky, off-white head that slowly dissipates and leaves a thin layer of head that lasts the entire time. The head left some very nice lacing essentially the entire length of the glass.

S-Hoppy, citrus notes include orange, grapefruit, and lemon zest. Very strong nose for a pale ale, probably the best I've ever had for the style.

T-Hoppy, agressive flavor that is slightly spicy and herbal. Citrus hop flavor consisting of grapefruit and oranges with a nice graham cracker malt backbone. Great flavor, with the strongest hop presence of any pale ale I've had.

M-Thick for the style with just the right amount of carbonation

D-Through the roof. I could drink this all day. It is delicious and its abv. make it a session beer for sure.

Overall, this is the best pale ale I've personally ever had. My bottle date was October 3, 2011 so my only wish is that I could have drank this a couple of months ago so it would have been more fresh. I still believe SNPA sets the standard for the style but if this was sold in six pack form and readily available, which I imagine would be nearly impossible because of the fresh hops used, this would be one of my go to beers. Another great beer from Great Divide.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 20:21:24 | More by thegodfather2701

mfavoino

Washington

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

Poured into a pint glass out of a 22oz bottle that was bottled on 9/28/2010.

Appearance is a hazy copper with significant lacing. I expected a dominating hop nose, but instead found myself noticing the earthy tones and a bit of citrus hops. Tasted sweet, citrusy, and more malty than I thought this would be as a fresh hop beer. Little carbonation on this beer. I wonder if drinking it while it was fresher would have given more of a hop impression. Regardless, it is an extremely enjoyable pale ale and something I'd buy again.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 05:01:33 | More by mfavoino

jculler82

Pennsylvania

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

Bottled 10/03/11, sampled 12/24/11

Clear orange tinted gold with a nice frothy off white head that settles to a foam cap. Heavy lacing.

Hop forward nose that is balanced well by the malt. Citrus, mainly oranges, and some tropical fruit punch notes. Sweet caramel candy, bread crust.

Flavor is hop forward at first, mirroring the nose of oranges and fruit. Candy maltiness comes into the middle. Firm balancing bitterness in the finish. Nice full mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 21:02:55 | More by jculler82

syrupjoe

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a semi-hazy golden amber color with eggshell white head.

Nose is green, vegetal, dank, and slightly tropical fruity. Slight alcohol notes with mild maltiness.

Taste is sweet, light, and fresh tasting. Slightly perfumey, grassy, and definitely piney.

Moderate to low carbonation. Smooth on the uptake - this brew doesn't knock your socks off with bitterness, but showcases some pretty aromatic hops.

Crisp finish with a floral and citrus aftertaste. Overall a very easy drinking fresh hop brew that still satisfies a hop head's desire to be immersed in dank. Will drink again!

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 20:09:48 | More by syrupjoe

kojevergas

California

2.9/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served on draught into a Great Divide stemgoblet at the Great Divide tap room yesterday. Cost was $4.00. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger head of nice cream, fair thickness, and average retention. Colour is a textbook copper.

Sm: Hoppy, with very light toasted malt. A mild strength aroma.

T: Pleasantly hoppy without too much bitterness. Well balanced and built, but not bold or inspired. Simple but pleasant. Not too bitter, though the finish needs work. Malt-heavy for the style.

Mf: Smooth until the coarse finish (on account of the bittering hops), and wet throughout. Fairly complementary of the flavour in a general sense.

Dr: Quite drinkable, but largely unremarkable for the style. I wouldn't have it again. It's okay.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2011 19:29:09 | More by kojevergas

rmcnealy

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served chilled in a traditional pint glass.

Poured a translucent, totally filtered light golden amber that produced a very froathy head which fleeted to a tremendously nice consistent lacey layer. Smells are of slight hop, freshness, slight undiscernable citrus and minimal malt. The smells are not very robust. The taste follow suits with a tad of hoppy bitter awesomeness. It has hints of earthiness to it. The tastes fade quickly leaving a dry bitter bite. A decent beer but it was lacking something. The bottle notes 'Grassy' and 'Citrusy' characteristics with 'Grassy' being triumphant. It did lack a bit of hoppiness that I look for in a good PA. A bit pricey at $6.99 I feel. It's worth noting that the bottling date is in early Sept. A few reviews I briefly overviewed mentioned October or later. Hoppy beers are better the fresher they are, in my limited opinion. Nonetheless, I'm glad I tried it.

Enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 01:57:21 | More by rmcnealy

gabedivision

New York

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

Poured into a pint glass from a 22 ounce bottle.

Pours a crystal clear deep orange/copper color with a thin laced head full of tight bubbles and a frothy foam. Citrus hops on the nose, fruity, piny tones, big sweet refreshing scents pouring from the hops. Sugary sweet citrus hops explode in the mouth, hop from front to finish, bitter lemony finish. Light bodied, high carbonation, clean, easy to drink. This is a mega hopped fruit filled easy to drink pale ale. Will come back to this beer again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 04:09:18 | More by gabedivision

mdaschaf

Washington

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

Thanks to bentwookie for this one! Bottled 9/30/11

A: Pours a clear copper color with a two finger white foamy head on top. Pretty good retention and sticky lacing left behind on the glass.

S: A little bit of citrus and some pine. There is a heavier caramel component than I was expecting. Some lemon in the front.

T: Maltier than I was expecting and hoping, possibly due to age. Lots of caramel with a little bit of lemon and a hint of pine.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Drinks pretty smooth, slightly dry finish.

O: Not bad, would have loved to try it a bit fresher. Will look for it next time it comes out though.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 01:55:07 | More by mdaschaf