Fresh Hop Mirror Pond - Deschutes Brewery

UCLABrewN84

California

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Best by 12/11/11.

Pours a clear honey orange with a 2 inch puffy orange-white head that settles to a small island of foam. A latticework of lace forms on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of all about the hops: spicy, earthy, herbal, floral, and some citrus. Taste is very much the same with a nice malt backbone to even things out. There is really no bitterness with this beer after each sip but there is an herbal quality that lingers on the palate. This beer has a low level of carbonation with a smooth and almost flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good fresh hop pale ale that has a nice hop aroma and flavor but the mouthfeel is lacking in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 03:34:13 | More by UCLABrewN84

Halcyondays

California

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bomber,

A: Pours amber with a creamy frothy white head as a lot of wet hop beers tend to have. Good retention, limited lace.

S: Classic Cascade. Pine trees, resiny, wood notes. Foresty.

T: Sweet caramel malt balanced well with grassiness and pine from the hops. Interesting cotton candy play in the finish. It's a pale ale, the hops are not going over the top. Everything is in balance. Bit too much carbonic acid in the end though.

M: Medium-bodied, very light carbonation and frothy. A cask like feel which can be fun and it works in beers like this.

O: Not the striking beauty that Hop Trip is, but I like the wet hop flavour and it makes for a better beer than the regular Mirror Pond which is a Western classic, but can be bland at times.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 03:00:48 | More by Halcyondays

emerge077

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a bomber in to a stemless wine glass. Plenty of lacing, drippy and intricate all around. A steady second pour generates a fingers width of creamy white foam. Retention is strong, lasting for the duration of the glass. Saturated orange color, fully bright with high clarity.

Smells like any given pale ale, nothing hoppy, let alone "fresh hopped". Light fruity yeast, biscuity malt.

Flavor follows suit, very malt driven and not especially hoppy. Noble hops don't lend much to the mix, little to no bitterness. Fruity sweet yeast and malt elements and little else. Clean and drinkable, just a let down in the advertised "Fresh Hop" department.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 02:25:38 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours an orange yellowish color with a one finger head that lasts.

Smell: earthy hops are most dominate here.

Taste: caramel, golden apples, earthy hop bitterness, and a mild fruity finish.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Lightly crisp throughout.

Overall: this was a mild flavored beer but had a nice hop presence.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 02:24:36 | More by Gavage

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I can get a lot of fresh hop tones on this. I get some oil and a lot of leafy green character as well. Tastes like it is right off the vine. It's a nice fresh hopped ale, though it seems to fall off a bit quicker than I would hope for. A pretty good fresh-hopped ale, though I think my having other more distinct versions of the "style" have spoiled me.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 19:30:49 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a light golden orange with good carbonation and a small white cap

S: Fresh citrus; grapefruit, orange zest and tropical fruits

T: Either a Pale or Crystal malt. Multi layer Citrus, random hints at pine, some caramel

M: Lighter to Medium bodied.

O: Good

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 03:08:41 | More by barleywinefiend

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a coppery amber color, carbonation forms a 1" head, decent lacing for the hopping. Dry and fresh hop aromas aren't massive or pungent, but they're there.

Good typical Deschutes cascade hoppiness in this one. Reminds me of the good ol days of mirror pond before the palate got whacked with the last few years massive hop additions. Either way, this version stands out again as hoppy, without the old wood flavor that tends to be all too prevalent with the regular version of this beer as well as inversion ipa.

A little more piney in the mouthfeel than the regular version too. Plenty of bitterness, but at least its accompanied by a hoppy mouthfeel and not simply one dimensional bitterness. An overall good experience, and a decent, but not great price $5/22oz. considering the regular version is on sale 1/2 the time for $7/6pack.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 21:33:47 | More by Beerandraiderfan

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from Whole Foods in Los Altos, CA. Hopefully, the "fresh" still translates.

Pours a extremely clear copper amber colour, with a full and thick head of very, very pale yellow—ok, it's almost white, but with a slight tinge to it. Lacing is thick and sheeting, forming in solid, unbroken planes down the inside of the glass. Light and bright otherwise. Looks good.

Nose is smooth and rather sweet, both with a subtle caramel malt character, and the tropical hop aroma, which gives it notes of banana and guava. It's far sweeter and smoother than I expected, with certainly no crisp, sharp hop characters. Not bad though.

Taste is similarly subdued, but well integrated. Smooth round malt characters give a crisp, if somewhat insubstantial base. This is layered with the ever-present, but never-robust hop notes, that suggest freshness while contributing little to the flavour. Feel is very smooth, with a light sparkle of carbonation—again, this somewhat matches the hop characters.

It's a good beer that ends up being just a little too tame. It's very smooth and drinkable, and has some genuinely pleasant characters to it. But by the end, I feel like "yep... what's next?"

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 01:13:11 | More by lacqueredmouse

HopHead84

California

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

10/2/2011

Bottle shared with Carlos.

A: Luminous dark orange with an inch of white foam. Lacing is scattered.

S: Orange blends with peach and tangerine. Nice citrus profile. Malt rounds things out with its bready redolence. Floral notes are pronounced and there's some pine, lots of pine.

T: This is very malty, with notes of bread and biscuit. Orange flesh suffuses my palate. There's a light bitterness. Malt dominates here, giving the impression of an English style Pale Ale.

M: Medium body with moderate carbonation.

Overall: Good stuff. It's Mirror Pond but slightly more aromatic. Carlos says it tastes like homebrew.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 17:50:04 | More by HopHead84

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a beige head. Color is a clear amber bronze.

Aroma: Some bready pale malts. Buttery. Some pine hops and a little bit of grapefruit. Not much here.

Taste: Grapefruit and pinesol. Sticky and hop resiny. A decent amount of malts.

Mouthfeel: Bitter and creamy. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends dry and sticky.

Overall, not a bad fresh hop, but nothing spectacular. A little better than the regular version. Too malty. Fairly average.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 23:49:00 | More by mothman

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 picked up last night at the COOP ... Poured into my Corsendonk goblet... great lite tan head.. the brew is lite amber/dark golden... surprisingly clear.

The nose is awesome... knock you out grassy/fresh citrus ... lite pale malt pulls everything together for a great fresh hopped brew.

Flavor mirrors the nose with an earthy hoppiness from mid palate to the finish.... hops in the end seem quite floral.. citrus blossoms.. yummy.. Malt profile comes out in the middle and helps carry the hops... lite toasty malt seems a bit nutty...

Grassy from front to back.. one of the most drinkable brews I've had in a long time.

Body seems a touch high for a 5% brew... but I am not complaining.. I dig this brew... and will buy them until they are off the shelves.

4/4.5/4.5/4/4

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 03:13:05 | More by JohnGalt1

ccrida

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Regular Mirror Pond made with fresh Cascade hops.
On tap at the PDX pub served in an imperial pint glass, Fresh Hop Mirror Pond is copper with an off-white head that leaves light, scattered lace.

Smell is incredible, bright and pungent, resiny, sweet citrusy cascades, yummy!

Taste is a bit of a letdown after the incredible smell, still hoppy, but not as pungent, much rounder, with a hefty dose of toasted malt. Still, a HUGE improvement over regular Mirror Pond for sure!

Mouthfeel is smooth, thinned by the cask, medium bodied.

Drinkability is good, much better then regular Mirror Pond, but if the taste kept up with the smell, it would have been great. Of the three Deschutes fresh hop ales I've had this year, I'd rank this second, behind Goshie's and ahead of Harvest Moon.

Serving type: cask

10-24-2008 00:46:59 | More by ccrida

dirtylou

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber, ballard mkt

appearance: cool label - served in tyranena nonic pint, bright orange-copper body, filmy white head with light retention

smell: fresh citrus, cut grass, light bready notes

taste: The wet/fresh hop idea is cool and all but the results always seem to be somewhat disappointing - The deschutes version comes off a bit sweet and doughy. The hopping really gets lost here - no defining citrus flavor.

mouthfeel: oily medium body

overall: just ok

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 20:37:33 | More by dirtylou

smakawhat

Maryland

4.53/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I had this in the Portland, Oregon location on tap. It is mentioned on the menu as a staff favorite.

Vintage 2010

Color and appearance: dark yellowish/brown, brewery describes it as tawny I would say its much lighter than a tawny port.

Smell: exceptional, unique, big fruit nose of apple and hops

Taste: nutty, squash, somewhat sweet, hop lingering balance in aftertaste

Mouthfeel: crisp like a white wine almost

Highly drinkable!

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2010 22:18:37 | More by smakawhat

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

another fresh hop! NICE! this one pours a light amber with perfect clarity, like a high grade maple syrup in appearance. big rising cream colored head that only dissipates a tiny bit as it sits. not much smell to speak of surprisingly, no big fresh hop nose, just an understated pale ale scent is all. tastes a little tart, with the hop feature in the back. there is a strong malt presence as well, providing a sturdy structure for the hops to lean on. nice long finish where the fresh hop vibes come through. the body is squarly medium, with less carbonation than that regular mirror pond, low abv lends to its drinkability. a splendid fall session!

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 00:46:12 | More by StonedTrippin

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Masterful brewing; just not a huge fan anymore of Cascade. Proly not many others who could make this taste as good. Poured with a lovely. foamy, frothy, fluffy, large, off white head that lasts all the way down and lots of lace. Color is a pleasing clear honey amber. Aroma is malt, cascade, cereal, fresh all grain bread dough. Flavor's about the same with the sweet grains, bold hops and a little carbonic tang framing the picture. Body and carbonation are good. Finish is like flavor and as much as I'm no longer a fan of Cascade, it leaves pleasant memories. I'll have another gotdamit.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 06:04:17 | More by drpimento

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear copper pour topped with a combo of loose and tight bubbles for the head. Looks quite nice.

Hoppy aroma up front with a burst of citrus and orange. Then some light pine. Faint caramel malt comes in. It becomes sweet after that. Cascades maintain vigil and offer a bit of green to the mix.

Flavor isn't as pronounced as the aroma hints. Sweetness is subtle. Caramel is soft. The flavor of the hops are soft. Cascade is nice and bright, but soft, which fits the APA style. Citrus blends in to a green pine and back to a mild orange. Malt is consistent and never wavers.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 02:56:28 | More by Mebuzzard

ngeunit1

California

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours an almost clear copper-amber color with a finger of frothy white head atop. The head fades away at a normal pace leaving behind some light lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of some piney and earthy hops, some sweet biscuit and caramel malts, and just a light touch of citrus.

T - Starts off with some light piney hops with a touch of earthiness and some bitterness. There is some sweet malt in the background. Through the middle, more rich biscuit malt comes through with some more pine hops and bitterness. The finish is a mix of pine hops, bitterness, sweet malts, and some earthy flavors that linger.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels very smooth with a nice crisp and refreshing finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice malt and hop balance and the fresh hop adds a very nice kick to the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 04:25:24 | More by ngeunit1

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle $5.49. Bright orange color, good head and lace. Smells like fresh hops, juicy, resinous, reminds me of Hop Trip. The taste is much like mirror pond, citrus, malts, but the fresh hop influence is undeniable. Well done Deschutes, looking forward to a sixer of Hop Trip.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 00:23:37 | More by ArrogantB

Reidrover

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz from Roths Vista Market in S.Salem. $4.99
Hazy dark golden coloured ale, larget frothy,bubbly off white head.
Fine grapefruit type hoppy aromas..malty biscuit in the back.
Graprefruit..bitterness,malty backbone in the taste semi dry finish.
Ok mouthfeel..not boring in the least.
Overall a good beer but i fear i got it too late.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 04:01:43 | More by Reidrover

Overlord

California

3.35/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep orange with a large off-white/light tan head.

Smell is pine-sol with pine resin, a splash of bitter grapefruit (not much citrus here), and surprisingly forward floral notes.

I'm not getting the hop profile of this beer at all. The pine and floral were overbearing the nose with no balancing notes. The taste is muted, with a surprisingly strong pine resin burn, a lot of bitterness with no real complexity behind it, and a light biscuity aftertaste.

Good bubbly mouthfeel, but not a particularly good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 22:11:35 | More by Overlord

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.78/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

After LOVING this beer the last couple years from the tap (one of THE highlights of the all-too-short hop harvest season), Deschutes finally wised up and bottled this magical elixir. Here's a 22 oz. bottle, dated 'Best By: 12/11/11' - poured to a standard pint glass.

A: Amber with a golden glow, very clear complexion and surprisingly little carbonation. First pour earns a lofty dollop of ivory foam, nearly two fingers high and very sturdy. Good lacing, sticky and patchy, with an ever-present lumpy layer of splotchy head that never quite goes away.

S: Where's the aroma? Disappointingly light scent, a misting of piney hops, without any backing. What I get here is sweeter malt and a hint of orange peel. What I recall from the draft pours I've enjoyed in the past is MUCH more pronounced.

T: Hmmmm. Green and spicy hops are present, grass and hay subtleties mix with bready and slightly fruity malts. Lots of 'biscuit' (with a hint of 'buttery-ness'). drier in the finish, grains show more roast. The 'fresh hop' character is subtle on its own, but is pronounced when compared to 'regular' Mirror Pond.

M: Smooth, fairly creamy. Medium body at best. Carbonation is gentle, a crisper and cleaner finish.

O: Still very likeable, if not the *wow* beer I've had from the tap. Love that this is now distributed more widely via bottles, but hate that it seems to be a shadow of its true FRESH HOP self. Not to say I won't buy it again (because I will) and definitely enjoy the 5% drinkability, but this (unfortunately) strays from the high standard it set for itself of the past several autumns.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 23:42:47 | More by msubulldog25

flexabull

California

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a bright and semi dark gold color, clear, and with a nice white head.

Aromas are of light citrus, hard candies, grapefruit, oranges, and some pine. Smells similar to normal Mirror Pond, but fresher, and slightly more floral.

Taste is soft and doughy up front, lightly creamy, with some mild caramel sweetness. Finish is crisp and dry, with some pine needles, hard candies, resin and grapefruit hoppiness. This beer certainly has good flavor, but the fresh hop flavors are a bit muted.

Mouthfeel is nice and full with crisp carbonation. The feels thicker than the normal version.

Overall a tasty pale ale that is really drinkable. But as mentioned before, the hop flavors could be pumped up a bit to really showcase those fresh hops.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 02:32:30 | More by flexabull

morimech

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Clear amber color with two fingers of head that had excellant retention before settling to a thick cap. Heavy lacing is left down the glass.

The hops do not really fill the nose, but the customary citrus hints are detected. The base malt also adds some graininess.

Really enjoying the flavor. Has that fresh hop flavor without letting the IBUs getting out of control. Hop flavor is full of citrus and herbal/grass. Tastes green. Without the bitterness creating havoc on the palate, more malt and other subtle flavors can come through.

Perfectly carbonated, lighter ale. For a 5% ABV ale I am satisfied with the heft.

This is the way I prefer my wet hop/harvest ales. It taste like fresh hops. This and Brau Brothers Hundred Yard Dash are my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 21:50:17 | More by morimech

argock

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 22oz brown bomber into a clear glass tumbler. No freshness date. Purchased at Zain's Liquors (San Francisco, CA) for $6.99.

A: Burnt amber with 1-finger of off-white head with good retention and crusty lacing.

S: Slightly more grassy hop aroma that regular Mirror Pond (consumed right prior to this beer) but same pine resin and grapefruit aromas and caramel maltiness

T: The fresh hoppiness is pretty tame unfortunately and misses the mark for me for a fresh hop beer -- the aroma is pretty solid but the hops come off more tea-like and bland than bright.

M: Medium-bodied with relatively light-handed carbonation and a moderately dry finish.

O: Disappointing especially for the price -- stick with regular Mirror Pond.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 02:37:37 | More by argock