New Holland Brewing Hopivore

Micigan Wet-hopped Harvest Ale
5.8% abv
55.5 IBUs
12 oz standard brown longneck bottles

They Say:
Malts – “2-row pale, Crystal”
Hops – “Cenntennial, Cascade”
“100 % of the hops in 2011 Hopivore were sourced through the Michigan Hop Alliance. Hopivore features Cascade and Brewer’s Gold hops from the Leelanau Peninsula. The hot and dry weather this year helped create productive and flavorful alpha and beta acids in these maturing vines, which are in their third and fourth season. Hopivore is a wet-hopped Harvest Ale, so the hops were
introduced to the kettle only hours after harvest, without being dried. Hopivore presents a round, deep hop character, balanced by modestly sweet maltiness. Expect a more herbaceous hoppiness than other hop-forward beers.”

Subzero Says:
Color – Perfect, golden, caramel color.
Aroma – Pleasant, fruity, bright aroma – kind of like Juicy Fruit. Not as big a bouquet as other fresh hop beers, but enough to wet your whistle.
Taste – Malt bills don’t get more simple than this. All about highlighting the fresh-from-the-field hops. Very light body as a result, but with a sustaining/lingering herbal hop bitterness. A bit like Mirror Pond in that way. Or soda water. Almost no sweetness from the malt, but still tasty.
Overall – A more herbal bitterness than other favorite wet hop beers like 100-yard Dash or Surly Wet. They are more fruity and light – the hop oils are more intact and volatile there? Maybe due to the choice of hop varieties, Michigan terroir, and/or length of time in the kettle? A little disappointing from the maker’s of Crooked Tree, a really excellent IPA.