Muskoka Harvest Ale - Muskoka Brewery

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(4.0) A: Clear copper coloured with a decently sized frothy beige head. Long lasting retention and good lacing.

(4.5) S: Pine, tart citrus elements, crisp apple, earthy peat, buttered bread, and toffee. What a great mix of aromas with a defined hop-like character and earthy qualities that contribute to the complexity.

(4.0) T: Similar to aroma with fresh grasses, spices, lemons, grapefruit, and a slight burnt wood taste all coming through. Complimented nicely with a robust and rich bread-like malt taste. Solid bitterness throughout with a mildly dry finish. Very good.

(3.5) M: Medium bodied with a moderate carbonation. Slight syrup like stickyness with a mildly viscous body.

(4.0) D: Very tasty with a great hop profile and fresh earthy qualities. I still prefer this on-tap if given the choice, but nonetheless, a very good harvest ale and something to look forward to in the Fall season.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 01:36:33 | More by Digimaika2

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle from the LCBO; listed at 7.0% (2012 edition). This is one I've been looking forward to for months, and fortune seems to be on my side as it was quite easy to find this year. One of the two Muskoka seasonals I have yet to try (or review).

Pours a beautiful, transparent amber-orange colour, with nearly two fingers of billowy, puffy off-white head seated atop the liquid. It's resilient stuff, hanging around for more than a few minutes before finally wilting into a bumpy, foamy cap on the surface - and as an added courtesy, it leaves behind a delicate web of lacing on the sides of the glass. Definitely a very fine-looking pint of beer, and the aroma is nearly equally impressive - plenty of orange, grapefruit and caramel; very floral, very fruity, and very enticing to boot.

Very tasty stuff; the hops are quite prominent, but the malts remain a fixed presence, particularly at the start of the sip. Their sweet caramel and vaguely nutty notes, though, are soon overtaken by pink grapefruit, lemon citrus and floral, slightly piney hop flavours. Finishes with floral hops and earthiness lingering into the aftertaste. Medium-bodied, with a slick mouthfeel and mild carbonation, making one very smooth-drinking ale. The abv is nowhere to be seen - this is absurdly drinkable stuff, and the large bottle is well-suited to being consumed slowly over a crisp fall evening.

Final Grade: 4.35, an outstanding A grade. I anticipated that this would be pretty good, but probably not worth the nearly $9.00 pricetag. Except this may just be the best APA I've ever had, so it is absolutely worth the price. Although the American-style hops do play a dominant role, they are far from overwhelming, so if you are not a hophead there is no need to be wary. If you are looking for a sturdier, relatively balanced ale with some hop bite to it, or if you're just a fan of Mad Tom looking for something familiar but different, Muskoka Harvest Ale is a perfect choice for the coming autumn and winter months. Very impressed with this stuff - I will probably pick up some more before stock runs out, and it's worth mentioning that the quality of this brew (and the Summer Weiss) has me looking forward to the release of their winter seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 23:54:17 | More by thehyperduck

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 edition - 750mL, 7%

Appearance - Pours a dark amber with two fingers of bubbly foamy head.

Smell - Citrus/tropical fruits, caramalts, strong piney hops.

Taste - Piney earthy hops along with citrus, tropical and dark fruits. Nice caramel/caramalt flavour. Grassy bitter finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with light to medium carbonation.

Overall - A unique EPA by Muskoka. The aromas almost suggest a dry-hopped American IPA. Well-executed brew that makes it to the top of my Muskoka favourites list, right next to Mad Tom IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 03:34:23 | More by leaddog

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 edition - 7% ABV
A: Deep orange-umber, fully clear and boosted a full 2 fingers of off white head.

S: Hoppy up front with sweet candy, followed with field notes of fresh cut pumpkin and wet leaves.

T: Some mild bitters up front somewhat like an ESB, followed with deep caramel and toffee. Some enticing musk flavours that are reminiscent of fall and harvest. This beer is like the sophisticated uncle of a pumpkin ale.

M: Medium bodied with just a few pricks of carbonation that hint at pepper spice. The thick coating leaves a sweet and bitter finish, begging for another sip.

O: As mentioned this brew feels like a sophisticated uncle of pumpkin ale, there is a strong suggestion to harvest flavours and thicker mouth feel thats warm and inviting. This is a great fall brew - looking forward to another bottle, if I'm lucky.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 02:08:23 | More by FondueVoodoo

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into a pint glass. ABV 7%. (2012 vintage)

A - Poured a deep copper with amber hues. 3cm cream coloured head slowly dissipates. Lots of lacing.

S - Sweet, dark fruit, dried apricots, citrus notes, hint of grass, hint of floral and alcohol notes.

T - Light caramel sweetness, grains, some citrus, pine, some spice.

M - Medium-heavy body, medium-low carbonation, creamy, sticky, bitter aftertaste. Alcohol is just noticeable as the beer warms up.

O - The mixture of 4 different hops give this one an interesting flavour/aroma profile. Decent Ale overall.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 02:22:08 | More by decimator

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

***2012 Vintage***

Thanks to jrenihan for this one.

Poured from a 750ml. bottle (ABV 7%) and shared a little with my wife.

Appearance: A slightly opaque bright copper body with some great head that kind of creates a moat around a mound of foam in the middle. Side of the glass is slathered with lacing.

Smell: Sweet, sticky hops, bit of grass but mostly a nice, long, juicy aroma reminding me of mango & orange.

Taste: This leans to the resiny, mildly sweet hops. A touch of spice in the finish with some pine rounds things off.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and smooth, like drinking a pint in a pub. Low on bitterness but enough to make things interesting.

Overall: Wonderful ale. Straddles the line between a pale ale & a bitter. Balanced perfectly and one i wished they made year round.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 11:45:37 | More by papat444

mdfb79

New York

3.48/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 01/07/12 notes. Thanks to whoever shared this one at the last DC RB tasting. Poured into a tulip.

a - Pours a medium amber color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of wheat, grain, floral notes, light citrus notes. Not bad but a tiny bit bland.

t - Tastes of wheat, brains, bready malts, sweet fruity malts, nuts, and toasted malts.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Pretty easy to drink.

o - Overall a pretty nice pale ale. Nose was a bit bland but the taste was much better. Worth checking out once.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 21:32:01 | More by mdfb79

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Undated 750 mL bottle, poured into a Duvel snifter at ~6C. Bottle received in trade, I think from TheSevenDuffs. Thanks!

A: Copper, clear, nice white head comes up, but then disappears rather quickly to a slight, unlacing ring.
S: What a stellar nose! Bready and biscuity malts, fruity esters and underneath all that? Citrusy hops... A little bit of everything and none of them so strong that it drives away the others.
T: A nice bitter bite along with a malt sweetness battle it out. Much more bitter than I was expecting (thinking this would be something like an Oktoberfest), but I am happy with it. Light hop flavours.
M: Carbonated to an appropriate level (medium to medium-strong and not biting).
O: A surprising beer. Nice and hoppy, well worth having at least once.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 23:55:41 | More by kjyost

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another gem from joemcgrath27... Thanks bud!

A - Pours a slightly hazy copper colour with a reddish hue, finger of head with decent retention and some sporadic sheeting lacing.

S - Leafy citrus hops, slightly musty, hint of cotton candy and some caramel on the finish.

T - The fruity citrus hop notes dominate, leafy and earthy. A unique bitterness lingers on the palette and the caramel and toffee notes come through on the finish.

M - Medium bodied, though could come across a tad thin, goes down smooth and finishes nice and wet.

O - A tasty ale that boasts loads of flavour, and certainly captures the essence of the style. I'll be going out of my way to procure more if this next fall once it hits the shelves at the LCBO.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 14:57:30 | More by andrenaline

slitherySOB

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750mL flip top bottle. The colour is a hazy copper, with a bit of autumn gold. Sadly, their is very little head to speak of. Perhaps a half to 3/8 finger worth. Smells. Delicious. A definite biscuit aroma. Some floral and citrus aftertones. Tastes just as it smells, with a heavy taste of biscuits and caramel. Grapefruit lingers on the tongue. Mouthfeel is full and creamy. Low carbonation. Overall, a pleasant pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 17:37:41 | More by slitherySOB

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a 750 ml brown bottle, flip-top cap. Pours out a hazed deep copper hue, chunky off-white head that settles to a thick cap.

Dry toasty malt on the nose, mild caramel, sweet pink grapefruit and tangerine.

Sweet orange and grapefruit notes up front in the flavour, dry toasty grains and dry spicy hops in the middle, clean leafy, grassy hop finish.

Medium-bodied mouthfeel, full creamy smooth texture, low carbonation.

Solid Pale Ale, seems more American from the present hop bill than an English style, most likely listed wrong.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 21:36:24 | More by IronDjinn

fostachild

Ontario (Canada)

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

enjoy before 16 jan 12.

perfect clear amber colour. lots off foamy light beige head - leaves behind a nice even lacing for the remainder of the beer.

floral hoppy smell. citrus, grass, malt, fruit. all very subtle but you didn't have to dig - really nice.

nice hoppy taste, citrusy/fruity, caramel, malty backbone. very well balanced, incredible drinkability.

overall i was very impressed with this - everything just seemed to blend really well. don't know if it would qualify as an english pale ale (seemed to have more IPA characteristics) but i enjoyed every sip and would highly recommend giving it a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 22:13:17 | More by fostachild

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a nice orange/copper/amber colour to it. It has a nice off-white head that dies down moderatly and has some lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of earthy and floral hops with some grainy and caramely malts and some citrusy notes.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a very nice sweet malt flavor with caramel notes. The floral hops give it a nice lingering bitterness with some citrusy and grapefuite notes.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavours and aromas. Another great beer from Muskoka.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 19:44:51 | More by SebD

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a deep amber color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of fresh green Cascade hops with nice citrus and light resin notes is very well balanced. Taste is also a nice mix between some floral green hops notes with light citrus and resin notes back by a solid malt backbone with semi-dry caramel notes. Body is full with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Another well balanced beer by an Ontario brewer who keep surprising me.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 19:27:09 | More by Phyl21ca

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

Appearance - Dark copper topped by a solid cm of dense, long-lasting foam.

Smell - citrus hops aromas with a touch of grassiness, grain and caramel.

Taste and Mouthfeel - Gently carbonated and smooth in texture. Very balanced flavours of sweet, toffee-like caramel malt and subtly bitter, citric hops.

This is a very good interpretation of the British-type pale ale in a North American style.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 23:13:07 | More by

EnemyWithin

Ontario (Canada)

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

Appearance: 4
Brown amber orange with half an inch of slightly brown yellow white head. Nice looking beer. Good lacing.

Smell: 4
Floral citrus hop aromas, with toffee brown sugar malt notes as well. Also a touch of grassy/grain. Citrus characteristics of the hops fades with time.

Taste: 3.5
Definitely a hops presence to the taste. Initially a slight grainy sweetness that opens up into a more noticeable presence of the hops. Mix of mildly piney, grassy, and caramel flavors. Finishes with the lingering bitterness at end. It smells more complex than it tastes.

Mouthfeel: 3.5
On the thin side, but not too drastic. Reasonable balance between sweetness of malt with astringency of hop. Mild to moderate carbonation, with a nice slight creaminess to it. Average if not above average.

Overall: 3.5
Very safe ale. Nothing overly aggressive or unique. There is a noticeable hops presence, but not a hop bomb by any means. Not a big beer, not a bold beer. A little hard to know what style exactly to compare/rate it against. I do find that is a bit underwhelming in what it offers in the taste profile. That being said, it’s not bad by any means; I think there’s a nice contrast of malt and hops and it’s a reasonable well constructed brew. Could benefit in being bolder in malt profile and alcohol content.

An accessible beer and good offering above and beyond a typical macro beer. Something a lot of people could like. Not a must have, but okay to try.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 00:59:25 | More by EnemyWithin

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - mildly hazy copper amber, respectable fluffly head retained very nicely with random clumps of lacing
S - a mix of grassy and orange citrus aromas, light toffee in the background
T - gentle orange citrus up front, then fresh grass, biscuity and earthy flavours round it out, all flavours are subtle but the sum is greater than the parts in this case
M - medium to light body and medium carbonation, juicy and slightly bitter
O - this is a solidly built ale where the individual flavours are gentle but the combo makes for a nice full flavour that goes down very easy, this would be something I would drink regularly were it available

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 03:52:40 | More by joemcgrath27

marty21

Manitoba (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear copper orange with two fingers worth of foamy off white head. Settles to a thin cap and left a good amount of thick lacing.

S: Good hoppy aroma up front with some caramel malt in the background. A very inviting aroma.

T: Good amount of hops with caramel malt and earthy tastes. Has a bitter finish that lingers for a bit.

M: Light to medium carbonation with a lighter body.

O: This was only my second time trying a beer from Muskoka. The other being their Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout. But I’ve enjoyed them both. I wouldn’t say this is the best pale ale out there but it’s pretty tasty.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 19:05:33 | More by marty21

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml flip-top bottle, apparently a slice of all things craft beer in On-tar-i-ari-o, and a bit of a strange and unquestionably new find on discerning Alberta liquor store shelves. The label imagery is very reminiscent of the Henry Ford Museum displays that I toured just last week in Motor City.

This beer pours a clear dark copper hue, with one fat finger of tight foamy ecru head, which leaves a sagging ring of lace around the glass as it settles. It smells of sweet caramel biscuit malt, a bit of citrus, and perky grassy, earthy hops. The taste is biscuity, bready malt, some faltering citrus tartness, and herbal, grassy hops. The carbonation is averagely agreeable, the body medium-light in weight, and generally smooth. It finishes crisp and bready, a slight undertow of hallow booze tug perceptible amongst the lingering, and bitter, noble and new-world hops.

A mishmash of ESB and well-bred EPA qualities - leave it to the colonies to screw with that (or get it right - opinions may vary). Anyways, the welcome, gratuitous over-hopping creates aspirations that push this beyond the normal pale ale (oh yeah, I went there), and thus gives a fitting example of the (thankfully) evolving Upper Canada beer scene. Dude.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 23:55:13 | More by biboergosum

evlu1441

Alberta (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Picked this up because it was new, and I liked the bottle.

It pours a medium to light reddish-amber, with a thin creamy head. Lots of carbonation rising up to the top.

The aroma is creamy and slightly hoppy, with some distinctive earthy aspects.

The flavour is lightly malty and rather intensely hoppy right off the bat. Some vanilla and spicy noted develop, and the hops meld nicely with the malt flavours and create a balance across the tongue. It's a bit too intensely carbonated for my tastes, but still a nice beer.

Overall, this is worth checking out. It's a good beer, though a bit overpriced in this reviewer's opinion.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 07:21:20 | More by evlu1441

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The glass looks almost like a blend of cheetah-print and cheap red lipstick (a sure disservice to a beer that is far more attractive than whatever kind of image that description might conjure). By all accounts, this deep but clear and shimmering beer is highly aesthetic and pours with a head nearly as tall as the neck on its swing-top bottle is long. Lacing is thorough.

The brewery tries real hard to sell the dry-hopping, but I’m not buying it entirely. Don't be mistaken, the beer is perceptibly well hopped and exudes a bitter, grassy, resinous hoppy bouquet. But there's enough malt in there to drown hop cones of any size and, as the colour suggests, more than just the hop harvest was meant to be showcased.

Indeed, malt plays no small role in this production. Lots of toasty, rich caramelly grain comes through in the taste, finishing with a hint of sherry. (That aftertaste, by the way, like Pavarotti on a treadmill, is fat and goes absolutely nowhere.) Of course, hops are up in that too; rank pineapple, bitter herbals and pine serum are noted as well.

Muskoka Harvest Ale 2010 and 2011 vintages don't compare identically, but the differences are negligible and the enjoyment and quality are the same. This is a well balanced recipe, providing both sweet malt and bitter hop, both in generous portions that are, well, well proportioned. It is, in other words, a very enjoyable 750ml to work your way through.

The beer has plenty of 'green' hoppiness that results in just the right number of IBUs. Likewise with the amount of toast: enough to instill a firm, nutty sweetness but not so much as to go overboard with it. And, again, likewise with the alcohol: 6 and some odd percent is reasonable, but enough to add a bit of an exclamation mark to the whole thing.

I hope to see this offering on the shelves every autumn as it's quickly become part of my fall-time drinking rituals. Like the Autumn Wind, this is a beer that "is a pirate, blustering in from sea. With a rollicking song he sweeps along, swaggering boisterously...big and bold, the trees all shake and quiver and quake as he robs them of their gold. He'll knock you 'round and upside down and laugh when he's conquered and won."

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 04:40:08 | More by biegaman

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml pop-top bottle poured into tulip 17/9/11

A clear amber with lots of tiny bubbles and very tiny suspended particles, nice three finger light tan head retains very well leaving several thick rings

S loads of herbal/leafy hops with some melon and citrus with even a little chewing gum

T no gum but other then that I taste what I smell with a little nutty caramel and the earthy notes come out even more

M thick for the color and the perfect amount of carbonation, leaves a slick almost slimy coating in your mouth but its not a bad thing

O 4.25 would have been used once or twice if it were an option for smell or taste so the 4.5 drops here too make up for it. very easy too drink and a pretty well rounded brew

I could drink another big bottle of this with no problem at all, I like the earthy hops in this one and I'm a little surprised it doesn't have a higher rating BA. give this one a go this fall

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 20:46:32 | More by wordemupg

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 edition.

Amber colour, almost two finger-widths of slightly off-white head. Head is thick and has pretty good retention. Some lacing.

Nose consists of biscuity caramel malt and fragrant, floral hops with some light, sweet fruit.

Taste is quite malty. Biscuit and caramel. Fairly sweet. Has a slightly fruity flavour to it. Finishes with some bitterness. Has a bit of an earthy flavour, which I often find to be the case with English pale ales/IPAs. Pretty good.

A little high on the carbonation for me. Medium bodied.

Pretty tasty beer. Don't think I will need more than the one this year, but have certainly enjoyed the one.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 00:17:27 | More by jrenihan

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From notes.

A - Poured amber with strong carbonation and a one finger beige head. Bright. No lace and a film of retention.

S - Light oranges, earth, some toffee.

T - Earthy, fresh bread, caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. Seems like a hoppier version of an EPA.

M - Good carbonation, mild to full body, and a sweetish kinda finish.

O/D - Not bad. I guess it seems - like a few other people have pointed out - like a hopped up ESB or something of the sort. For $9 I won't be buying it again, but worth a shot once.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 19:19:57 | More by tbeckett

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

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

Deep amber colour, one finger off white head, some lace left behind. Smell is sweet and biscuity, malty, floral hops, pine, slight subtle citrus, dry hops. Taste is of sweet malt, long bitterness, dry hop, caramel notes in the finish, pine/citrus aftertaste, light unpleasant metallic qualities. Medium-prickly carbonation, medium full body, lightly syrupy. Not bad but not as good as last year (at least thats how I remember it anyway)still decent but a bit of a let down.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 12:03:55 | More by peensteen