Sierra Nevada Harvest - Fresh Hop Ale (11th edition)

From BEER_webalbum

I thought this would be weirder than it is, which it isn't, but it's very good.

Here's the story on the bottle:
"This year, we harvested and brewed with 8,000 lbs (!) of fresh hops in a single day's time. It sounds insane because it is. Then we did it again... Brewed using only fresh-picked "wet" hops. Brewing with fresh, undried hops preserves more natural hop resins and aromatic oils, producing layers of hop notes rarely experienced... America's first fresh hop ale."

So this is something like brewing tea without drying the leaves. It's not the most efficient way, and maybe even not the best, but it definitely produces a slightly different flavor, with more 'resin'-y taste and more 'oily' aftertaste. Basically tastes like a good IPA, but somehow a little difference. All-in-all, I think it stands up to some of the better 'aromatic' IPAs, like Maharaja for instance, or 90 minute, or Hazed and Infused. I like.

A healthy 6.7% abv. A little pricey for a 24oz bottle (though this size is so much more convenient than 22 oz). I think it was like $5, but for the effort and the taste it's worth it. I'm glad I bought it. Definitely want to try it on tap, and I bet it'd be cheap at Sunset or Publick House.

In other news, not only does Wine Gallery have Sam Adam's ridiculous $160 bottle of beer, with something like24& abv in stock (though not on display, for obvious reasons - cause I'd gank that shit), but also they report having sold a bottle already! Apparently Sunset is also pouring $14 2oz pours. Jesus f-ing H.! The sad thing is that I'm severely tempted. I'm pretty sure that wines that are given just as much attention and aging and fancy shit still come out for under $60. What gives Sam the right? It seems a lot like a scam to suck in the yuppies caught up in the Allagash, Dogfish Head, et al. conspiracy of making outrageously expensive beers that have been aged and bottle conditioned and all kinds of other crap that in no way makes it Ok to sell a bottle of beer for $25. It's not even imported! It makes me yearn for my 10 days of cheap great beer in Germany. But I still want to try the Sam really bad. And all of the Allagash $25 bottles. And the 120 minute IPA. Damn them and their clever tactics.
My advice: Stone and Weyerbacher and some other West Coast breweries age their beers and sell them for under $10. Still pricey, but not so bad, and just as good or better than the ridiculous Northeasterners. My better advice: get Dale's Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Anniversary, or something else cheap, and treat yourself to Chinese food with the money you saved. You know you want Chinese.