West Side Belgian-Style IPA - Harriet Brewing

Fowlmouth

Minnesota

4.36/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A- Light copper color with a nice long lasting cream colored head

S- Slight fruit aroma with hints of citrus zest and spice

T- Refreshing and crisp. Hints of sweet fruit with a mild spice

M- Smooth, clean and refreshing

O- Very very drinkable beer from Harriet brewing. This is my go to beer from them. Jason does a fantastic job over, I would highly recommend checking this beer out.

Serving type: growler

03-28-2013 01:23:26 | More by Fowlmouth

zeff80

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Happy Gnome in St. Paul, MN.

A - Clear copper color with a one-finger, khaki colored head of foam. Sticky rings of lace.

S - Smelled very fruity with some sweetness. A touch of yeastiness.

T - It tasted very fruit with a citrusy kick. Nice spicy bite of bitterness. Good caramel sweetness.

M - Crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale.

O - My first Harriet beer has me very impressed.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2013 20:43:57 | More by zeff80

RexInMinn

4.48/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ordered a small keg of this beer from Zipps for my birthday two weeks ago. What a great beer! Yes, it poured hard because of the extra CO2 they put into their kegs to achieve the Belgian style, and that took some getting used to. On the good side that slowed my drinking down a bit as I tend to gulp. The color in the sun was the perfect autumn red-amber. Just exquisite color. Everything about this beer said fresh. It was kegged Oct. 10 and we started drinking it nine days later. At 6.2% abv it was perfect for me. I drank it all weekend and had no ill effects from it at all, like I do with packaged beer, good craft packaged beer like Furious and Founders. It was so nicely balanced with a very strong hop presence but not too sweet like some IPAs. I can't wait to get another keg of this beer. These people know what they are doing and they communicated well with me after I told them about the hyper-foamation.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2012 21:50:18 | More by RexInMinn

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.73/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had really high hopes for this. Served at good temperature with a smallish, thick, cream colored head that soon subsided to an island and ring with a little lace. Color is a clear amber apricot with some bubble trails. Aroma is a nice caramel, hop, fruit. Flavor's not so much like nose with bitter hop and carbonic tang up front, fairly dry, and a bare hint of bacterial infection in the back. Body would be perfect but the bacteria, tang, and bitter combine to leave a less desirable experience, good carbonation. Finish is like flavor, fairly long, and a bit boozy.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2012 21:39:43 | More by drpimento

augustgarage

California

3.4/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at the brewery - served in a Harriet tulip.

Cloudy dark orange liquid with a whispy ivory collar and smattering of surface slick. Average retention, sticky art-nouveau-like lacing.

Fresh dough-y malt, chilled wort, grassy hops, and esters in the nose.

The flavor follows the nose closely, the profile mirroring the aromas emanating from the brewery itself. Husky, grainy palate entry with citrus and pine sap from hops. Mild bitterness and light yeasty phenols throughout.

Medium-bodied, creamy and soft with average carbonation.

Tastes quite "green" as if it was not properly conditioned. Bitterness, hop presence, and yeast flavors are quite low.

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2012 04:32:53 | More by augustgarage

drabmuh

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I split this growler the other day with my legal adviser during a public broadcast of a professional football match. Beer served from a chilled 64 ounce brown screw top growler into a 0.33 L tulip emblazzened with the logo of this brewery, that is to say it is a Harriet Brewing company tulip glass.

First thing is first, this is a beautiful beer. Clear, copper, aggressive steady carbonation, looks like amber champagne in this little glass, soft white head, some lacing, good retention.

Aroma is yeasty, hoppy, esters, fruity, sweet.

Beer is medium in body, nice yeastiness to the whole thing, strong with a great finish. Not too dry, not too bitter, all and all this was an easy thing to drink a growler of, easy drinking enjoyable beer.

Serving type: growler

12-17-2011 01:43:04 | More by drabmuh

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Growler shared by Dr. Abmuh. Thrice served in some sort of fancy glass because the Abmuh does it in style. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a medium copper color with a good off-white head and a bit of lacing. The nose carries a good dosing of Belgian yeast along with some citrus and other American hop notes. Flavor is quite similar with good yeast and hop presence and balance. Medium body and a very nice finish with hops and yeast. High quality.

Serving type: growler

12-17-2011 01:31:37 | More by Thorpe429

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drinking a growler from Harriet, this Belgian IPA is my new favorite oxymoron. Even a few years ago this beer wouldn't make sense, and now it seems to be the flagship and, presently, only year round beer of a new brewery. I do love beer and the beer world that's every changing.

Fluffy white head builds up with tight clean bubbles. Pretty golden ale with copper highlights. Picture is a bit dark compared to reality. For me, this beer is all about the nose. Big and overwhelming, it perfect for my below average olfactory abilities. A brazen blend of strong hop and assertive Belgian yeast. Yeast yields to the hops as it warms, and creates a very pleasant temperature cycle on this beer to drink over time.

Strong saison-like peppery note. I don't know the yeast, but it's an assertive yeast with strong characteristics, much like the yeast determined beers of 't IJ in Amersterdam. No indication of the hops used except that they are Northwest, but the clear citrusy smell is intriguing. A blend of lemon zest, grapefruit, lemon, and a slight pine and resin earthiness. I think the real genius of this beer is how the hop and yeast spices cross each other's boundaries and create something more than the whole.

Bready malt base supports a clean hop and yeast spice that matches the nose exactly. 40 IBU seems a bit light for the hop punch in the nose, but the yeast is giving amazing support in the spiciness. Lingering dryness makes this beer a real pleasure to drink. I see myself returning to the brewery for another growler as a regular habit, especially paired with a second seasonal growler.

Serving type: growler

12-13-2011 04:22:08 | More by FightingEntropy

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at The Rail Station in Minneapolis.

Appearance - Fairly Unfiltered Hazy brown with a slight orange hue to it. Carbonation is fairly mild here.

Smell - There's a healthy mixture of yeasts, citrus and some minor piney hops. There's also a slight malty smell to it as well.

Taste - Citrus/Orange Flavor with a yeast/biscuit palette and malty backbone. The piney hops are pretty subdued much like the flavor, but the taste is alright.

Mouthfeel - There's some carbonation in here, and the body is fairly moderate, leaning toward a lighter body feel. It's a refreshing beer to drink, but it's not the smoothest beer in the world.

Overall - The body and mouth could use some work, it's got just the right combination of flavors to strike a balance and it comes out tasting really well. I say it's worth trying out at least once, and since this is my first beer from Harriet I can say that its a good first start!

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2011 02:43:25 | More by NuclearDolphin

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had a pint at Pat's Tap. Wow, this is everything you could ask of a Belgian IPA. They've brought about as much flavor and character as you can possibly cram into an IPA. It reminds me of Furious in that sense. Of course, it's also a bit like Houblon Chouffe, for the big mix of biting herbal spice mixing with the grapefruit citrus and pine. The ABV isn't over the top, but this is a big, flavorful beer to be enjoyed.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2011 15:18:36 | More by tempest

jera1350

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

24 hr. old growler.

Pours into a Duvel Tulip a copper color with a one finger thick head of dusty white suds. Very nice retention and lacing throughout.

Getting some citrus notes, mostly grapefruit, but the nose is dominated by the belgian yeast which gives a pretty strong funky farmhouse smell. A pretty prominent wet hay smell in there too.

A nice amount of american hops give this a citrus and pine taste with only a moderate amount of bitterness. Pretty solid malt backbone offering up caramel with the belgian yeast making a strong appearance adding some clove, spicy and wet hay notes. Gladly, not as funky as the nose however. Pretty spicy hop aftertaste.

Medium bodied with a dry feel. The carbonation is spot on here. Pretty clean finish on the palate.

Highly drinkable beer that mirrors the style very well. This leans more towards the belgian made than the american made ones for the style. I would call this a very solid beer.

Serving type: growler

09-05-2011 20:41:40 | More by jera1350

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Picked up a growler from the brewery, drank the next day.

Pours clear, a bright orange amber color. Minimal head and not much carbonation visible, but lots of lacing clinging to the glass.

Smells pleasantly fruity, with lots of grapefruit and some pine in the background. More Belgian notes in the smell than in the taste - a bit of spice and Belgian yeast.

Taste is well-rounded, fuller than the smell, with more caramel malt presence. Still get the grapefruit and pine, but they're complemented nicely by sweet pineapple. An extra touch of sweetness (like simple syrup) evens the scales. The Belgian characteristics come through mostly as a warmth somewhere between the hops and the malts. Finish is gently bitter.

Mouthfeel needs a bit of work. Medium body, carbonation is low. That combined with the typical IPA stickiness, makes me feel a little like I'm drinking candy. It needs more fizz to balance out the heaviness and sugary stickiness..

A very good IPA, one of the better ones I've had. Well-balanced, with nice fruity and piney hops. Needs more carbonation. Surprisingly, it tasted better to me from the growler than it did sampled on-tap at the brewery.

Serving type: growler

08-15-2011 06:02:04 | More by zeledonia

younger35

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A friend of my Fiancé gave her a growler of this for me to try. He’s a big fan of Harriet and I’m happy to try anything. Drank from my Ram Brewing oversized pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a nice light orange with hints of yellow around the edges. A decent quarter finger bright white head bubbles away fairly briskly leaving no cap but a decent collar. Not much lacing is left behind.
Smell- Definitely smells way more Belgium than IPA. It’s spicy and full of those lovely yeasty tones. A touch of banana and white pepper with maybe even a tinge of clove. It has a bit of a warm alcohol that really stands out as well. Not overly hoppy smelling as there is a touch of peach fruitiness but that’s about it.
Taste- You’d never really guess this was a Belgium IPA after the smell but you figure it out pretty quick after your first sip. Definitely not overly bitter (and you wouldn’t expect it to be at 40 IBU) as the hops are nice and fruity, borderline citric. Something grapefruit like at first before a light banana thing moves in and whisks this thing off to Belgium land. There is a touch of randomly light sweetness that really isn’t so as the beer finishes bone dry and slightly warming.
Mouthfeel- Nice light carbonation with a super nice feel. The body is spot on along with everything else.
Drinkability- Really digging this beer a lot. It’s got a great balance of IPA (probably more Pale Ale but I’m also numb) and Belgium and thank the lord, it’s not sweet. Very easy drinking, very flavorful and very delicious. A super nice surprise from a local brewery. Gotta love that!

Serving type: growler

07-31-2011 21:16:37 | More by younger35

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Buster's on 28th into a pint glass.

A: Clear medium amber body with an inch of dense, creamy, off-white head. Terrific retention and solid lace. Gorgeous beer, plain and simple.

S: More Belgian than IPA, with some nicely intense yeast esters and phenols - chalky minerality, spicy pepper, and green apple. Maybe some lightly floral hops. Pretty good, but more hops would be welcome given the style.

T: Very appley, with some spice, bell pepper, and minerality as wel; cleanly dry, bitter finish. Tasty.

M: Lively, soft body. Pleasant.

O: I was excited to try this one on the recommendation of a friend of mine who lives in the cities, and it didn't let me down. I might have scored it a bit higher if it were listed as a straight BPA instead of a Belgian IPA, as the hops were in no way a dominant component of this one's flavor. It was still damn good, though.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2011 20:54:14 | More by woosterbill

morimech

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Clear bronze color with a half inch of head that quickly settled to a thin film. Moderate amount of spotty lacing is left on the glass.

Belgian aroma. Spice notes from the yeast is complimented by the citrus hops.

Spice upfront in the flavor that is quickly followed by citrus hops. Bitterness is high. Pale malt gives a hint of sweetness.

Nicely carbonated even though I thought it looked flat during the pour. Body lies between light and moderate.

A solid beer from a up and coming brewery. Look forward to more of their beer.

Serving type: growler

07-03-2011 22:14:13 | More by morimech

birchstick

Missouri

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at the Haute Dish

A -Pours an amberish orange without much of a head, but what is there retains well

S - smells or floral, minty hops with some bitter pine and spices

T - Really floral, minty hops with some caramel malts dominant the palate. Mixed in with this are a bunch of spices from what I assume is some Belgian yeast strains. Finished with a nice piney bitterness.

M - nice and full…almost foamy too

D - this was drank with a rabbit entre and the two complemented each other really well. This was a good Belgian IPA and was glad I was able to try it. Recommended for those in the twin cities.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2011 16:59:34 | More by birchstick

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.6/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer pours a cloudy golden-orange color. The head is one inch in height, and recedes slowly into nice lingering lacing. The aroma is of grapefruit, barnyard, leather, hay, tangerine, and a hint of cherry. There is a lot going on in this aroma, and every aspect compliments every other. The taste as a little more barnyard qualities, and a little less hoppy fruit qualities than the aroma. It is dry, and has a mild lingering bitterness in finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation, and a velvety texture. Overall, this is a great beer. I've had this a number of times now, and have completely fallen in love with it. It reminds me a lot of Bell's Two Hearted Ale, but made with a funky Belgian yeast strain.

Serving type: growler

06-25-2011 23:37:06 | More by KarlHungus

brentk56

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Arrives with a modest head sitting atop the clear amber liquid; a few strands and shards coat the pint glass on the way down

Smell: Vague hints of citrusy hop and spicy yeast

Taste: Bready, up front, with the citrusy hop and spicy yeast flavors arriving quickly in succession, bringing grapefruit pith, banana and apple; after the swallow, there is a developing floral sweetness that lingers with banana and spice character in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate to high carbonation

Overall: This is a well-made BIPA that presses all of the buttons necessary for the style

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 02:47:58 | More by brentk56

iadler

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a 10oz glass

A- Gold with a slight orange hue. Little head and no retention to be found.

S- Some tropical notes including peach and mango, followed by some Belgian funk and bready malt.

T- While the aroma was a little faint, the flavors were much more pronounced with the taste. Lot's of tropical notes with mango, peach and pineapple, followed by Belgian funk, banana and clove. There is a pleasant tartness in the background with hints of green apple.

M- Medium carbonation as well as a very crisp body. Nice amount of drinkability.

O- A very complex and unique IPA, especially in taste. I haven't really had many Belgian IPA's but have found another style that I really dig. Happy as well to stumble upon a new local Mpls brewery. Well done Harriet.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2011 04:21:11 | More by iadler

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a few samples at the brewery when picking up the growler. I like the growler more.
Sweet complex yeast aroma with mild spice interwoven and even an odd fruitiness. Mild hop background. Very pleasant aroma.
Cloudy pour with a very white head that settles out quickly.
Hops more prominent in flavor than in aroma. Especially noted in hop flavors, but the bitterness seems to grow throughout the drink and while it starts of seemingly mild grows quite prominent by the end. A very complex drink with each sip an adventure. Unique flavors with the complex hops intermixing with the complex yeast and some fruity esters.
Smoothly carbonated and a smooth drink.
Drinks nicely. A second would be pretty easy, but a third might be a bit much. Nonetheless a nice beer. Kept quite nicely in the growler for at least two weeks (maybe it was three weeks).

Serving type: growler

05-01-2011 01:06:09 | More by garymuchow

gatornation

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap @ busters

A-pours a golden light copper color with a fresh off-white head that just stuck around nicely

S- its citrus hops .belgian,yeast,some fruit and spice

T- very nice here its starts with a mix of hops and citrus tastes but is followed with nice fruits9apple and banana) a touch of clove and spice with a belgian funk

M- pure and crisp it was of medium carbonation with a touch of funk

O- a solid interpretation of style that is very drinkable and smooth love this style

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2011 00:20:24 | More by gatornation

cmannes

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Growler poured into a Surly Stein

Appearance: Beautiful Straw color, white foamy head. Nice lacing as it settled.

Aroma: Citrusy Banana Bread? Okay, not quite. The the belgian yeast gives a lot of sweet banana/clove smells mixed with citrus tang from the hops.

Taste: Starts sweet & bready, finishes with a nice citrus bite. Very nice.

Mouthfeel: Very light, maybe a little syrupy. Carbonation, while there, blends very smoothly.

Overall: I like it. A lot. The sweet belgiany goodness upfront with the nice citrus finish, very good.

Serving type: growler

03-11-2011 23:06:00 | More by cmannes

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was out of town when this had its debut at Blue Nile, but sure enough, Al has cornered the market on Harriet for now, and he still has it on tap. Even better, he has a couple of true Belgians of a similar style (La Chouffe and Urthel Hop-It, if I recall correctly), so I can see how it stacks up.

Before I review this beer, it is worth noting that I am often unimpressed with Belgians. I often find them too sweet, and lacking a satisfying finish. I really love American-style IPAs, and am planning to make a Surly Furious my freebie in the happy hour 2-for-1.

But whoa.

This beer is in my wheelhouse. It's evocative of Flying Dog Raging Bitch and Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Wild, both of which I really enjoy. Maybe we need a new category for these beers -- Belgian-Style American IPA, perhaps? These are fun Belgians for IPA lovers.

Anyway, this is somehow better than the competition, including the La Chouffe and Hot-It I tasted side-by-side. Perhaps it's the freshness -- we're only a mile from the brewery one week after this beer was released, after all. I don't know. Drinkability is very high with this one.

In the end, I ditched the Furious and has a second West Side.

A - Golden straw with little head. Then Al discovered that the CO2 tank needed changing, and the second came on with too much -- very foamy. I think it's unfair for me to draw any conclusions today.

S - So much going on here. All of the fruity, earthy, bready and sweet smells I associate with Belgian yeast, plus the floral, cirtus and pine fragrances common to West Coast hops. Nothing feels out of place here. This is intriguing, and I want to just smell it for a while, an unusual desire for this guy.

T - Just like it smells, and with a surprise. The malt that I didn't notice on the nose is now coming through, and the hop bitterness is perfectly balanced by a faint sweetness.

M - My two pints had vastly different carbonation levels, so I don't think I can rate this accurately.

D - Lightly or highly carbonated, this is a great drinker.

The rookie hits a home run in his first plate appearance. I can't wait to try more beers from Harriet.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2011 04:28:39 | More by DaveAnderson

MinnesotaRIS

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served into a glass from a growler. Two weeks old.

A - Pours with medium body. Golden, light amber appearance. Mostly clear with slight haze that adds to beer. Head is ample and dissipates slowly leaving quite a bit of lace. White foam remains on top after head settles.

S - Hops and Belgic right off. Spicy, slight grapefruit, with some grassy tones. Very rich smell that complements the taste.

T - Rounded and plenty of malt body in the taste that is balanced very well with the alcohol. Spiced grassy taste, reminiscent of a Vietnamese food item; citric but soft. Very fresh. Hops are rich in the flavor and the aftertaste remains long. Low astringency. Slight yeast but great for the Belgic craft.

M - Pleasant and inviting for more. No harshness or biting aftertaste.

D - Drinkable but should be tasted well. I would get this again and again. I recommend it to you if you are in the Minneapolis area when they are serving.

Comes in clear glass growlers so protect them from the light!

Serving type: growler

02-28-2011 03:02:18 | More by MinnesotaRIS

Fitzgerald

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A friend of mine gave me a growler of Harriets West Side IPA, I had never heard of the place, he told me it had just opened an wanted to try it out and I am glad he did.

A-Pours a nice golden bronze with a white pillowy head, a little hazy, had to pour easy because it has some carbonation.

S-I can smell some grapefruit and just a really fresh fruit ,grassy summer time scent.

T-Boy this is good, fresh hoppy grapefruit ,mango not a lot of malt taste just enough to tone the hops down a little a nice bitter finish.

MF-Just the right amount of carbonation nice full bodied ale with a little pucker power.

D- I love this ale I read one review comparing it to Raving Bitch IPA which is one of my favorite ales and I would have to agree. Thanks Steve for the great growler.

Serving type: growler

02-26-2011 22:41:47 | More by Fitzgerald