Highland Little Hump Spring Ale - Highland Brewing

chinchill

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I popped the cap on this bottle without inspecting it, so I was pleasantly surprised by the very hoppy aroma emanating from a bottle labelled "Spring Ale": it smells a lot more like an IPA than like the light fare I was anticipating. Aroma is notably fresh, with a malt component largely overpowered by the hops.

Excellent hoppy flavor to go with the aroma, yet with a rather limited bitterness. Hops (Simcoe, Amarillo and Cascade) have citrus and earthy elements with a little spruce, and leave a lasting and quite enjoyable aftertaste.

The beer itself is golden, clear, and covered with a modest but durable white head.

M - More body than the color suggests but still on the light side; semi-dry, markedly crisp finish. Ample carbonation.

O- an excellent Spring seasonal that I'd be happy to have year-around.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 22:22:22 | More by chinchill

mwar

Kentucky

1.75/5  rDev -53.7%

05-19-2013 14:04:38 | More by mwar

Thedrizzle

Florida

3/5  rDev -20.6%

05-18-2013 20:22:38 | More by Thedrizzle

kwesib

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-15-2013 20:48:10 | More by kwesib

KickbacksSteve

Florida

3.89/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a snifter. Fluffy, white head, good retention on a clear, golden body. Soapy lacing. Aroma includes a fresh hop bitterness, including lemon zest, grass, pine, maybe a touch of lime and the slightest aroma of earthy cheese. Taste is actually less bitter than expected. Very palatable, I would think, to the average beer drinker and satisfying to the most discerning palates. Very sessionable and nice.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2013 03:52:11 | More by KickbacksSteve

nmann08

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -14%

05-10-2013 21:38:17 | More by nmann08

ZinFanDave

Georgia

1.5/5  rDev -60.3%

05-04-2013 17:37:24 | More by ZinFanDave

sdsimkins

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-04-2013 05:14:04 | More by sdsimkins

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-03-2013 18:16:14 | More by Damian74Shensky

BigTrubble

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

05-02-2013 00:31:47 | More by BigTrubble

JovianPfeil

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

05-01-2013 01:07:34 | More by JovianPfeil

ltdantheman

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-26-2013 14:29:37 | More by ltdantheman

jaswilson2

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-24-2013 00:35:00 | More by jaswilson2

barczar

Kentucky

3.41/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brilliant golden straw with a frothy one inch ivory head that leaves modest lacing as it slowly dissipates.

Grainy malt, floral hops, resin, and that amarillo umami note form the initial aroma. Grapefruit pith and onion add complexity.

Flavor is very minerally initially, with lime, lemon, and resin fading to bready malt into the finish. Underpinnings of lime and bitterness are somewhat fleeting, and the finish is only slightly bitter and peppery. More malt than expected.

Body is a touch light, with moderate to slightly high carbonation and a somewhat crisp finish. There's a noticeable amount of astringency.

Somewhat one note in hop flavoring, and I'm just not a fan of that minerally character.
More malt presence than expected, and bitterness balances well.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 23:22:05 | More by barczar

baklo

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-21-2013 12:36:02 | More by baklo

gjoker321

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -14%

04-20-2013 02:26:23 | More by gjoker321

PEIhop

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -14%

04-17-2013 15:49:39 | More by PEIhop

Chris77McGrath

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

04-16-2013 15:07:27 | More by Chris77McGrath

buckyp

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-12-2013 20:47:08 | More by buckyp

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-11-2013 17:24:27 | More by DaPan

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

"Can I get a Little Hump?"
It really matters which bar in which this question is asked.

Highland's spring seasonal ale opens with an extra pale straw color. Bright in clarity it shines with active carbonation. A fluffy and somewhat airy head builds upon the beer with cottony-white froth that easily endures the session and laces the glass with intricate collared patterns.

Bright and zesty aromas are distinctly of American hops. Grapefruit peels, freshly zested oranges and light herbal botanical all align on a base of dry cracker-like malts and the most of supple floral honey notes.

Little Hump's refreshing taste is terse dry bread, grainy-sweet bit early. But the sweetness easily gives way in order to favor hop flavor on the middle palate. True citrus zest simply bounce from the tongue with grapefruit, ripe oranges, light lemon zest, and fragrant grassy notes. Finishing bitter-balanced, a minerally taste similar to seltzer water.

Light and crisp throughout, the beer is effortless on the palate as the malts are easily carried by its zesty carbonation which ushers in a quick and snappy finish that makes the ale as quaffable as any lager. Finishing with a light minty-cool evaporation and mild sulfury scrubbing, the ale continues to surprise the palate even in its short-lived aftertaste.

Little Hump is a remarkably drinkable and enjoyable American Pale Ale. It tilts toward hops because of its suppressed malt taste and texture and its heightened citrus hop aromatics. But its so wonderful to drink that its style flaws are easily forgiven.

Welcome to Kentucky, Highland Brewing Company!

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2013 16:39:48 | More by BEERchitect

SlowWideTurns

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -20.6%

04-07-2013 20:13:04 | More by SlowWideTurns

mccallisters_dali

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -14%

04-07-2013 18:59:54 | More by mccallisters_dali

Falcone

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

04-06-2013 13:42:58 | More by Falcone

OldhouseRecs

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

04-06-2013 02:53:41 | More by OldhouseRecs