Devil’s Harvest

American Pale Ale | Year-Round | United States

By Sal Mortillaro II

Judges Rating: 90
Aroma: 23
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 36
Mouthfeel: 8
Overall Impression: 17

This American Pale Ale pours a deep gold color with hazy clarity and a dense, white, mousse-like head, which is sustained and leaves lovely lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of a moderately strong American hop profile with juicy citrus at the forefront with undertones of pine needles and dry-hopped grassiness. There is a low-to-moderate sweet malt aroma profile with wisps of caramel. Fruity yeast esters are very low and are hidden behind the juicy hops. There is a moderate hop flavor, which is very similar to the aroma, save for a touch of spiciness that lingers after the swallow. Hop bitterness is moderately high and serves as a solid platform to cancel out a moderate Two-Row caramel sweetness and bready, biscuity notes. The sip and immediate finish are both sweet but they slowly dry out, leaving a slight hop bitterness and flavor to linger. The beer is medium-bodied with appropriate ample carbonation that provides a nice creamy mouthfeel. This is an interesting beer in that it seems to be a touch higher in hop bitterness and flavor than other American Pale Ales, but falls short of being an IPA. I think this would pair well with any spicy dish, as the hops would increase perceived spiciness of the food and the malt would help extinguish it.