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This week we see Fresh Hop Pale Ale, by Great Divide Brewing Co. I bought the 22 oz. bottle from Specs for $7.11 with tax....it was alot to pay. I generally like great divide beers, and this one was as good as any other if the truth be told, but...and this is a big but, it wasn't worth the price of admission. Had this been a regularly priced 22oz, at 4-6 dollars, well then, yes, I would have sang it's praises, but it wasn't.
While listed on the website, the label says "Fresh Hop Ale is brewed with fresh, whole cone hops from the Pacific Northwest. We ship these "wet" hops to Denver overnight, and brew shortly after harvest, imparting an intensely grassy hop aroma and citris hop flavor in a medium-bodied pale ale. 55 IBUs."
From brewing my own beer, I know a few things. Hops are dried before use. Hops in natural dried form, in plugs, or in concentrated pelets are supposed to render the same flavors when brewing, and hop intensity has more to do with the crop, type, and amount used during certain parts of the boil, than with being overnighted from the PNW hop farms.
The fresh hop aspect of this brew, in my opinion, is more marketing than brewing reality. I enjoyed the brew, so don't get me wrong, but for a "hoppy" 6.1% ABV beer, I think I'm paying a bit to much. It's worth a try since it's a somewhat rare release, but don't stock up....unless you have the money to burn.
By hank on 31. October 2007 22:01 | Comments (0)
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