Spinnakers Sooke Harvest Fresh Hop Pale Ale: Brewed in Victoria, BC with fresh hops grown in Sooke, this Pale Ale comes in at a strength of 5% abv and features 40 IBUs worth of fresh Cascade, Chinnook and Willamette hops. This is the first time I can recall seeing a Spinnakers fresh hop beer on the mainland, so I thought I’d give it a try.
Aroma and Appearance: It pours an attractive golden amber colour with one finger of white foam and hardly any carbonation. The aroma has notes of toffee, plum, hints of raisin and some black tea leaves from the fresh hops.
Flavour: It starts with a subtle malt forward presence, featuring the same toffee and raisins found in the aroma with hints of sweet dates on the side. In the middle there’s some bready malt that covers your palate before moving into notes of black tea on the finish with hints of peach on the aftertaste.
Overall Impression: This was a pretty mild beer overall, with all of the flavours coming through in a very subtle, yet balance matter.
Rating: I give it good rating of 6/10. It won’t knock you socks off, but rather is an easy drinker best suited for someone who prefers more basic beers or just wants a drink after a long day.
Food Pairing: Would go well with any pub food, fish and chips or fried appetizer.
This beer was released in late September and consumed within a few weeks of bottling. Although it wasn’t my favourite beer in the world, I still have a lot of respect for Spinnakers and the fact they’ve been around for a very long time with a deep history in Victoria, BC. If you are ever there, be sure to check out the brewpub and stay tuned with updates by liking their Facebook Page below.
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