The Circle is Now Complete: Sierra Nevada Estate Harvest

Sierra Nevada Chico Estate Harvest Ale
“First Release”

Sampled: Jan. 1, 2010

The first beer for the new decade finished a trilogy.I had enjoyed Sierra Nevada's other fresh hop ales, Harvest and Southern Hemisphere Harvest, for some time.

During the worldwide hop shortage, Sierra Nevada began farming its own ingredients, and this brew, which it touts as one of the few estate beers in the world, is the result. Moreso than wine, beer is often far removed from its principle ingredients. What arrives in the brew kettles rarely contains the essential flower, just condensed pellets in many cases.

This ale opens a window onto brewing’s past. Could you imagine workers harvesting massive hop and barley fields the hustling the bushels over to Anheuser-Busch’s 5-story brew kettles? This beer equals boldness; Sierra Nevada took a risk by growing its own hops. They took years to reach this point, and success was hardly assured.

While it brewed a fresh hope ale from its own fields in 2008, it pushed the boundary for 2009 by further defying convention. Twenty-six acres of barley joined the hops, making Chico Estate Harvest perhaps the most local beer not produced in a homebrewer's kitchen.

It has paid amazing dividends. The nose leaps well beyond the mainline Harvest, almost searing the sinuses.

The same goes for the flavor as it tingles on the lips. Take the oiliness and grassy flavors of the regular Harvest - Chico Estate pushes then to a comfortable extreme. The finish emerges almost bone-dry, with lemon headlining and a surprising mineral character that lingers amiably.

At twice the price of the annual Harvest release ($9.99 for 22 ounces), this is not ale for the undeveloped palette. Similarly, hopheads should beware as well; this is not dry-hopped bliss nor some double or triple IPA.

It’s simply an ale made with the freshest ingredients available. In this case, Sierra Nevada quite possibly brewed the freshest of fresh hop ales. Hoard it, or deal with the long wait for the sophomore edition. As I spy the end of my glass, I am regretfully stuck with the latter.
Rating 9.5/10