Hedgerow Bitter - Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #47 (Dec 2010):

Hopped with UK-grown hedgerow variety hops: Pioneer, First Gold and Sovereign. Somewhat hazy, dirty peach with a healthy foam head and subsequent lacing. Nose is very clean, with subtle earth and greens. The taste is bone dry and complexly bitter. Puckering citrus, green, sharp grass, aspirin, spicy, prickly, green apple skins, bark and pith. It's like thousands of dwarf hop varieties are jovially stabbing at our palates with their astringent alpha acid daggers. Any malt character has taken a backseat. No, has been gagged, duck-taped and thrown into the trunk; you think you can hear muffled noises, but did you really? Finishes dry and bitter, too. A beer that proves extremes need not rely on ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 23:36:27 | More by BeerAdvocate

Kelp

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +7%

04-29-2013 06:33:05 | More by Kelp

drewone

California

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

04-29-2013 04:43:20 | More by drewone

hopandbarley28

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%

01-25-2013 21:26:35 | More by hopandbarley28

ferrettman687

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

11-25-2012 05:53:46 | More by ferrettman687

anewlanguage

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

10-12-2012 23:15:31 | More by anewlanguage

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a brandy snifter. Bottled July 2011, so I'm rather late to the game on this one...

A: Almost two fingers of fluffy white head. The beer is honey-clear. Clinging lace.

S: Hugely malty-sweet, with a touch of port (sticky, purple grapes). Some bitterness straddling the fence between hoppy and metallic.

T: It's...good. Tastes like an English bitter. Malty backbone, some earthy English hops, and a lingering, bitter endtaste. I never knew until now (reading the BA description) that EPAs were characterized by hard water, but that fits with the metallic nature of some beers (like this one). A bit of sweet fig in the maintaste. Not bad.

M: Meh. A carbonated session ale that reminds me too much of mediocre British ales.

O: Style points, but not really my thing. Won't have again. Pretty Things is still an excellent brewery in my mind.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:39:37 | More by AgentMunky

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

08-18-2012 15:07:17 | More by DrunkinYogi

trevorpost

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

08-07-2012 20:41:20 | More by trevorpost

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Eh. I think this one is too earthy bitter with a tangy thing going on. Unusual muddled hop spices with a lot of malts on there. This is just meerely "okay'. I mean, sure, it works. But there is nothing to it that's blowing me away or impressing me.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 04:10:49 | More by RblWthACoz

Stockfan42

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

06-12-2012 02:34:49 | More by Stockfan42

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - this pale ale pours a dark tan or light brown, the pour wells up a half finger of pure white head kept aloft by plenty of carbonation

S - a crisp aroma that hearkens to tea or tea solids, this sits above a rather decent hop/malt profile

T - malts up front, then the bitter hops kick in big time, musty tea like bitterness adds to the hops, but no typical citine/pine/floral hop profile, almost a medicinal aspirin like bitter

M&D - a strange bitterness, a complex flavor that wasnt perfectly blended.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 00:29:30 | More by sinstaineddemon

ngeunit1

California

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a cloudy golden-orange color with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down fairly slowly leaving behind some thick lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of sweet bready and caramel malts, some apricot and grapefruit hops, and a hint of pine hop.

T - Starts off with a mix of sweet caramel and brady malts with some fruity esters and a bit of tropical fruit hops. Through the middle, a touch of bitterness comes through alongside some pine hop flavor with a bit more fruity English yeast esters. The finish is a mix of sweet malts, fruity esters, and a bit of bitterness.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and estery finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nicely balanced English Pale Ale. Good mix of hops, malt, and yeast character.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 04:20:07 | More by ngeunit1

plaid75

New York

4.38/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a light copper hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured waves of herbal and grassy hops, apricot-like esters and a grainy doughiness.

The taste consisted of full on herbal hops with a taste of metal and a lingering ester. The malt was grainy and crisp.

The mouthfeel was crisp with a lingering bitterness and vigorous carbonation.

Overall a very quaffable hop forward refresher.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 01:10:36 | More by plaid75

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

05-19-2012 03:15:29 | More by mendvicdog

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle served in oversized wineglass. bottled aug 2010 (1st batch).

pours a murky copper/amber tone with a finger of white head. moderate retention, lacing.

nose is predominantly earthy/herbal/citrus hoppy with notes of caramel malt. pretty nice aroma, and is substantiated by the flavor profile which packs a wealth of character and more subdued malt... definitely bitter, but not overwhelmingly so. bitterness persists through the finish. tasty and pleasant, something i might be inclined to session, but it doesn't knock my socks off; i've had better from pretty things. medium-bodied on the palate with medium carbonation.

original review on: 09-22-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 02:49:33 | More by BostonHops

GuidedByBill

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

05-13-2012 03:05:11 | More by GuidedByBill

funkel81

California

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

04-23-2012 18:18:05 | More by funkel81

JayfromBoston

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

04-11-2012 02:11:43 | More by JayfromBoston

DSlim71

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

03-14-2012 17:22:40 | More by DSlim71

jegross2

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewing the Hedgerow Bitter from Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project out of Massachusetts. My girlfriend's uncle and aunt from the Northeast got me this one. Thanks guys!
Score: 73

No bottling date. This bottle was received in late December 2011. Served in a Half Acre tulip and enjoyed on 02/26/12. This is a backlogged review from a beer tasting I hosted on Oscar night.

Appearance: Pours a translucent yellow/orange color with an orange core that fades to yellow at the top and bottom of the glass when held up to light. One and a half to two fingers of foamy off-white head at pour quickly settles into a thin foggy cap and bubbly ring around the glass. Above average lacing, above average retention. 3.5/5

Smell: First pull is bitter Fiji apple and a "juicy citrus" smell. There's also creamy malt, a "breadiness" and a barley-like spice in the aroma as well. The aroma is very subdued and not very complex. 3.5/5

Taste: Malty Fiji apple, barley and subtle hops. Maybe some pear. There's some stale apple juice upfront too. Super bitter malt backbone. A light tart apple flavor towards the back half. Not much else going on. Aside from the bitterness, the flavors are pretty subdued. 3/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied, medium-light carbonation. Water mouthfeel. Savory, malty and bitter finish. 3/5

Overall: Reminds me (in a negative way) of Founders Pale Ale. Too juicy/malty, not enough hops, and an odd mix of bitter and sour flavor. The subtle flavors and bitter malt flavors scream "English style" here. I was glad to get the chance to try Hedgerow Bitter, but I would not approach this beer again in the future.

Recommendation: You can safely skip this beer unless you love Founders Pale Ale and bitter beers. Casual beer drinkers probably will not enjoy this one.

Pairings: Rum.

Cost: $7.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 17:26:16 | More by jegross2

brandonasplundh

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%

03-01-2012 20:37:18 | More by brandonasplundh

LiquidAmber

Washington

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

Poured into a Samuel Smith imperial pint glass. Pours a light to medium orange amber, two finger off-white head with great retention and massive lacing. Active carbonation, looks great. Unusual aroma of light malt, stone fruits and tea. Flavor follows with bready and toasted malt, hay and a tea-like element. Finishes with dry grass, hint of stone fruits, non-herbal hops and maybe a hint of funk. Quite different and tasty. Medium bodied, but pleasant lively carbonation. This is unusual and a pleasure to drink. I wish this brewery was distributed in my state.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:39:19 | More by LiquidAmber

Orbfan

New York

5/5  rDev +33.7%

02-27-2012 02:00:22 | More by Orbfan

srandycarter

California

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Murky dense apricot/copper. Stark white head, slow to leave. Some big bubbled cling.

S - Bready. Malty. Like it.

T - Stable, comforting malt, not cloying at all, with bitter finish.

M - Fairly dry, good carb and nice balance.

D - Easy to drink and tasty. All night long , baby!

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 05:43:18 | More by srandycarter