New Zealand's Bountiful Harvest

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale

1^st Release
6.8 percent ABV
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, Calif.
Sampled: May 26, 2008

The hop shortage of the past few years is only the beginning – to hear scientists tell it, global warming has it in for beer lovers.

Sierra Nevada seems to shrug and go about its business, finding hops where no one bothered to look before.

Last fall’s Harvest Ale was a revelation in brewing, demonstrating how different an ale could result from fresh-off-the-vine hops.

The southern hemisphere version, made from hops rapidly imported from New Zealand, pushes the boundaries even further.

Results from the New Zealand hop harvest might sacrifice a little immediacy due to the origin of the hops, but it results in a more drinkable product.

The nose offers an immense improvement – it blossoms into perfume and a lilac floweriness I didn’t expect.

More grassy and imbued with a strong citrus flavor, the southern hemisphere hop harvest lacks the sometimes off-putting oiliness that the American version produced. These hops hit hard with their bitter citrus, which is quit unlike almost any ale I’ve tasted. The freshness lets them punch harder, and dialing down the oiliness makes the fresh hop flavor more palatable.

At 6.8 percent, it’s a little strong for a session ale, but the harvest doesn’t happen every day, so enjoy it all you can while it graces the shelves, then mourn its disappearance for another year.

There is a silver lining – beyond the original Hop Harvest Ale. Sierra Nevada plans to grow its own hops in Chico, and we can wonder pleasantly about the fresh hop beer that might emerge from those fledgling vines.

Rating: 9/10