Pot Luck – Hop Harvest Ale

For just on six years the crew at Red Hill Brewery, headed by husband and wife David & Karen Golding, have been pumping out a range of great full time and seasonal beers. Their latest release, the Hop Harvest Ale is the latest of many long awaited seasonal beers from this super cool Victorian brewery.

This English Special Bitter pours a hazy amber/copper due to the grain bill of Marris Otter, Crystal & Pale Chocolate malts and being bottle fermented. Letting the beer warm up a little releases aromas of rich brown sugar and molasses, even boiled lollies. The malty sweetness of caramel shines through with fruity, marmalade flavours in the mouth.

Balanced out by lots and lots of hops, the palate is big and rich while remaining delicate. The importance of the bitter hop, Willamette, cannot be highlighted enough, though may be easily missed due to the massive malty palate.

More subtle than a lot beer going around at the moment, the Hop Harvest has a lot going on and is just a fantastic autumnal beer. Made in very limited quantities and getting better each year, it will sell out very quickly.

If you’re down that way, do yourself a favour and drop in. Idyllic setting, great food, even better beers.

For a full range of stockists visit: www.redhillbrewery.com.au

NB. The author of this review is a former employee of Red Hill Brewery, but has no vested interest in the brewery, other than from a beer lovers point of view.

Purvis Beer holds regular beer tastings and events. They’re located at 292 Bridge Rd, Richmond
and you can follow them on facebook.