I am not a trained beer judge. When it comes to beer and pr0n and food I do know what I like. I have my copy of the Papazian open to the blank form:
Bottle: Nice fat amber, 2007 vintage is a good sign,. Excellent pffftwhen uncapped.
Bouquet/ Aroma: Not just inviting, alluring without being overpowering. At first when I started brewing I was a hop head, but it was so easy to over bitter and just generally get carried away. This SN Harvest has a better aroma than I have ever imagined a beer having. I am giving it a 9:10 just in hopes I might find something better, one time, before I die.
Appearance: Color about the same as EdWorts PM version Haus Pale. Very clear, must have been filtered. I did leave the dregs in the bottle because I am so used to good beer being bottle conditioned. Scads of tiny bubbles, mildly off white head lasted to bottom of glass, one of the four or five best glass lacers I have ever poured - but only had a couple Belgians.6:10.
Flavor: Malt - sweet but not cloying. Hops - freshly harvested wet hops. i bet this is a love it or hate thing. I love it, deep, complex hop flavor in under 60 IBUs, awesome. Conditioning excellent. If I could make beer this good I would not be hanging out on HBT. Aftertaste - bitter but smooth balance - superb -> did you ever run all of the hops in your wort strainer through a lime juicer, mix in a little honey and savor those hops squeezings? If you did and liked it you are going to love this stuff. Other flavor characteristics: My weakest area as a critic, just going down the list, no, alcohol warmth yes, no, bitter see above, good body. Less body than Smithwicks, but plenty of body all the same. no, no, Clean I guess, I taste lots of hop nuance, no, no, no, estery I think not, no, no, Hoppy hell YES!!, no, no, no, a little bit sweet, not at all yeasty. I am going 15:19. I can't imagine anything better for a special ale. To hoppy to be a session beer, but this is by Jehoshaphat great stuff. If you never thought to squeeze your hops and make a tea you may not care for this at all.
body: This is awesome mouth feel. Bubbles are tiny and stick around. Almost as much feel as Smithwick's. This beer has everything going on.5:10
Overall 10:10. Does anyone know where my socks went?
So 45/50. Interested to hear what a non-hop head thinks, and I would love to see some trained judges weigh in also. i am going to go buy some more. Right now.