Okay fine … I lied. A “harvest ale” isn’t really a particular style at all. Virtually any style can be made into a harvest ale if a brewer so desires. So if the title here makes you uneasy or maybe I’ve lost your trust already … settle down!
The fact is that over the next couple of months, a number of harvest ales are going to be hitting taps and shelves at watering holes and bottle shops near you. So what is a harvest ale? Simply put, it is an ale brewed using freshly harvested hops or “wet hops” rather than the dried hops, pellet hops or hop extracts that are commonly employed to add bitterness, flavor and aroma throughout the brewing process.
Why? To separate you from your hard earned dollars using clever marketing and a nice gimmick, all while giving brewers and hop farmers a reason to celebrate in the form of harvest season of course! Now relax. I’m only kidding. There is very good reason to “wet-hop” a beer.
Though they often impart a very aggressive flavor profile ranging from citrus or stone fruits to resinous pine, these botanical bittering bombs are actually very delicate plants. Hop cones begin to degrade or rot shortly after they are harvested which is why they are almost always dried immediately and stored cold to preserve them. In order to wet-hop a beer, the freshly harvested hops must be delivered to the brewer’s kettle as fast as possible—frequently in 24 hours or less. Brewing with these fresh and delicate hop cones is well worth the effort though, because their delicacy translates into the finished product by lending subtle complexity, vibrant floral qualities and a fresh “green” flavor contributed in part by chlorophyll that dried hops often can’t provide. Thus a delicate and complex process yields a delicate and complex finished product.
Whether you consider yourself a “hop-head” or you are just curious to try something new, you must indulge in a few of these beautiful harvest ales this season. It just may redefine your view on those little green cousins of cannabis that we call hops. You may fall in love with the flowery orange citrus or grapefruity spice provided by Amarillo or Cascade hops. Perhaps the myriad fruit flavors such as citrus, peach, melon, pineapple and mango which are often imparted by Citra hops will leave you in hoppy heaven. Maybe you will prefer the herbal, spicy qualities generally associated with Nugget hops. Some breweries will tell you which hop(s) they use in their harvest ale and others will keep it a secret. So which harvest ales should you try? My personal favorites are Surly Wet, Founders Harvest Ale and Southern Tier Harvest.
Surly Wet is brewed by Minnesota’s own Surly Brewing Company. Different hops are used each year in Wet, yet it never fails to be anything less than glorious. Unfortunately, Surly Wet is only available in its home state of Minnesota. In order to taste this godly nectar you will need to buy a plane ticket, find a friend who is travelling through Minnesota or explore the option of beer trading. Sorry!
Founders Brewing Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan brings you Founders Harvest Ale. This one is slightly limited but if you keep your eyes peeled, you may find bottles or a draft of this fabulous citrusy delight. [Click here to check out shots of Founders brewing 2013’s Harvest Ale.]
And Southern Tier Harvest, an ESB brewed with “fresh English hops in every vessel,” is a floral ESB balanced out with great toasty and caramely malts that will be available nearly anywhere that boasts even a mildly respectable craft beer selection.
Of course, there are many other options that you may encounter and one or more of your local breweries might even try their hand at a harvest ale. Try one or try them all! And if you score some cans of Surly Wet, send one my way, would ya? Cheers!
- Southern Tier Harvest Beer Label: Southern Tier Brewing Company
- Surly Wet Art: Surly Brewing Company
- Hop Head Farms Cascade Hops, Beer Label: Founders Brewing Company
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