Here it is folks! A beer brewed by Sierra Nevada, just for me! The beer is Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA Brewed with Yakima #291 Hops. I know this beer is for me, you say, because it has subliminal message on it: “100-Day IPA, Drink Fresh, Don’t Store.” Most of you probably won’t notice that, because Sierra Nevada is aiming it at me. You see, I have this habit of socking beers for years at a time before I drink them, and they know that.

After reading that subliminal message, though, I can’t, so I drank this one right away. It’s March 22nd as I drink this beer, and my bottle is dated February 4th, 2014. So that makes this day 46, and I still have 54 days of breathing room. Imagine that!

More from the label:

We're devoted to whole-cone hops, and we're always on the hunt for new and exciting hop flavors. By working directly with breeders and growers, we have access to fields of the latest hops new to brew kettles. The first in our five-bottle Harvest series is single-hopped with newly developed 291 varietal, and highlights its intense floral and berry-like aromas. Drink this IPA fresh and watch for the next releases that explore diverse hopping methods: single hop, fresh hop, wet hop, and wild hop.

These are not the first harvest Ales from Sierra Nevada by any stretch of the imagination. They've done a Harvest Ale and a Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale for years.

You already know the hops they use, but Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA is brewed with two row pale and caramel malts. It has 55 IBUs and an alcohol content of 6.5% by volume. It was a deal, too, at $4.99 for a 24 ounce (bonus!) oversized stubbie bottle.

Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA Brewed with Yakima #291 Hops pours to a bright golden color with an immensely thick and rocky head formation. The beer leaves an equally thick layer of Brussels lace on the sides of my glass as the liquid descends. The nose is full of light candied malt and bright floral hops. Taking a sip, the beer has the light candied caramel malt up front that the nose promised with a bit of orange mixed in. the hops come up herbal and floral and yes, I do get a note of the blueberry the neck label suggests. The finish is long and dry and sharply bitter, but that’s because the malt is so thin I think. Think of what they call “West Coast IPA” today, although I really hate that term. Drink this one fast, because I don’t think it’s one to hang onto, as they say.

Tasty, recommended, a bargain. I look forward to the rest of the series. Thanks, Sierra Nevada. You guys rock.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box . *Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer. (B)=Bottled (D)=Draft

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