A big thank you to Emily over at Upland for hooking me up with a sample of their Harvest Ale 2014. After bringing you a peek at this beer back in Aug, I was really excited to sample this Wet Hopped Pale Ale last night, but alas the gods of refrigeration did not cooperate, so I decided to wait until tonight.
Let me first say that the packaging looks great. If you haven’t seen the Upland Brewing packaging, you’re in for a treat. Harvest Ale comes packed in 12oz bottles in 4-packs and be sure to check out the new logo bottle caps….they look great.
First up the beer pours a really gorgeous dark golden color with a picture perfect head that had great head-retention. You can’t help but notice the aroma as you pour and I’ll admit I stopped and restarted pouring just to take in the notes of citrus and grapefruit. These aromas were even more prominent and fully developed when I actually stopped to smell Harvest Ale in the glass. If you like tropical fruit in the nose like I do, this one is for you. 
The beer has lighter mouthfeel with a balanced level of carbonation and with lots of Citra hops on board, the flavors are exactly what you would expect. Lots of tropical fruit, citrus, grapefruit and even a bit of tangerine or sweet orange. The finish is decidedly hoppy and well balanced and enjoyed it so much the 12oz bottle snuck away from me much faster than I expected.
I love fresh hop harvest ales and I really enjoy those that feature Citra hops so it’s no surprise I really enjoyed Upland Brewing Harvest Ale 2014. If you haven’t had a chance to try this one, DO SO. If you have had a chance to try the 2014 version, please let me know what you think. Either way, I think Upland has a winner on their hands here and I can only hope the harvest season lasts a little longer.
FACT SHEET
Beer Description : An American Pale Ale by design with a hop back of freshly harvested Citra hops. Expect huge wafts of tropical fruit notes, balanced by a moderate bitterness and light tasted malt character. A showcase for one of our favorite ingredients and a delight for all the hopheads.
ABV: 5.5 IBU: 62 SG: 14 SRM: 13
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