Beer Review — Sierra’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

I ran across this big fat bottle at my local super market and honestly, I do not know why I bought it. My friend Ryan and I only disagree about 1 beer-topic. While we can agree on the joys of owning a wort-chiller, the need for a big brew kettle or the sheer entertainment value of Oktoberfest — Ryan loves hop flavor and I think they are best as a preservative.

Sierra Nevada, in my obviously humble opinion, over hops every beer they brew. The only beer I really like of theirs, Big Foot, needs the hops to even dent the massive over powering flavor of their barley-wine. I guess I got confused — a beer by Sierra Nevada called ‘Fresh Hop Ale” is going to be too hoppy for me, but I bought it anyways. Taking a bullet for you Dethroner readers…

Sierra tells a tale of fresh picking mature Pacific Hallertau, New Zealand Motueka and New Zealand Southern Cross hops in the Southern Hemisphere and then frantically shipping them back to California.

Like our Celebration Ale, the fresh hops in this beer are dried right after being picked then shipped immediately to Chico for brewing so that they retain their peak aromatics and flavors. To ensure the freshest hops possible, we went to the added expense of flying these hops from New Zealand to Chico so we could brew with them the week after they were picked.

The beer is a pretty golden color and looked great in my pint glass (which incidentally celebrated the SF Giants 2002 NL Championship, but fails to mention the World Series they pissed away.) It had a terrific aroma, actually — what this clod can only describe as a floral bouquet — was very evident. The fun, for me, stopped there. The beer was too bitter and hoppy for me — but if you like the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, you’ll likely love this. It was a more intricate and delicate version of the Pale Ale, best I can describe. The malt, doesn’t matter as you can’t really taste it. The head was ok but I have to admit that I probably over-chilled the beer and this tends to cause funny foaming events on opening.

Not for me — but again, if you like Sierra Nevada’s hoppy beers — Southern Hemisphere won’t disappoint.