Normally, the hops used in brewing are either in pellet form or whole dried flowers. A recent trend in the Pacific Northwest, however, is starting to quickly spread throughout the North American craft brewing community. That is, using whole, freshly harvested hops directly from the field. Such is the growing popularity of these beers that Yakima even has a Fresh Hop Ale Festival to celebrate the joys of lupulin.
Due to the hop crisis of 2007, there have been a number of local forays into hop growing in a grassroots attempt to develop a more secure supply for small brewers. This year saw the release of two commercial BC fresh hop ales for the first time. Driftwood Brewery’s Sartori Harvest IPA is one of them.
Driftwood brewmaster, Jason Meyer, personally drove to Sartori Cedar Ranch in the Columbia Valley south of Chilliwack to pick up a fresh crop of Centennial hops. In homage to owner, Christian Sartori, for dedicating himself to bringing hop growing back to the Fraser Valley, Meyer named this beer after him.
Sartori Harvest IPA is a smooth, medium-bodied, copper red ale with a creamy, persistent head. It has a pronounced hop aroma of citrus, fresh cut grass, and malt sweetness in the background. Although rating at 66 IBU, there is no sharp dry bitterness in this beer. It has a sufficient honey sweet malt backbone to create a fine balance that makes the Sartori Harvest IPA surprisingly smooth. A distinct freshness brings the palate alive and dances across it in a long finish.
I would be hesitant to pair this with food, preferring to savour it on its own. However, if the fancy strikes, consider an aged, cloth-wrapped cheddar, roti, ginger spice cake, or an apple crumble with garam masala.
Brewer: Driftwood Brewery
ABV: 7%
Category: American IPA
Appearance: 4.5
Aroma: 4
Flavour: 5
Mouthfeel: 4.5
Overall: 4.5
Score: 22.5/25
Availability: very limited quantity of 650ml bottles was released to better private wine & beer stores that is most likely already sold out. Watch out for next year’s release
~ RG
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hello.
dont forget the alibi room has been conditioning a cask of this fantastic beer, due for release in the next week or two.
ill be sure to drop ud a note when we tap it…
Awesome. Thanks Nigel. I will be the first in line.
I don’t wait in line. I go through the back door :-).
there needs to be an alibi room in victoria.
I think there needs to be an Alibi Room in every major settlement in BC — Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Penticton, Kamloops, Prince George, etc. Support your local brewers!
Curiously, there is a great place just outside Castlegar — in Robson — that is doing a similar thing. The Lion’s Head has 12 BC craft beer taps and specializes in barbecue. The owner is the daughter of Spinnakers publican, Paul Hadfield. Prince George should be so lucky!
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