Long Trail Harvest Ale
October 24, 2011
Generally, I’m a fan of the beers that Long Trail crafts, (especially their Brewmaster Series) but I’ll say it up front that I did not enjoy Long Trail Harvest Ale one bit. At least until I powered through the whole six pack over the course of a week! Who says persistence doesn’t pay off?
I’m still not thrilled though. Despite my gut telling me “don’t do it, stupid” I went and had my Wife bring back a six-pack of it from Vermont, and then later I ended up seeing it at my local Total Wine here in Jersey for less than it cost to buy where it is brewed up in Vermont. Yeah. Duh.
OK, so what’s the problem. The problem, I think, is Brown Ale. I can’t say for sure, but Newcastle Brown had set the bar quite low for this style initially, but now it seems, I just do not like the style all that much.
It just seems watery, too dry and so middle-of-the-road that I can’t put a finger on any redeeming qualities of this beer style.
While you drink it, you don’t find yourself spontaneously vomiting (involuntarily, of course) but as soon as you are done, you’ve just about forgotten what beer you’ve just consumed. “Oh, a brown ale. Sweet. I had forgotton.”
“So, what’s up with the Long Trail Harvest” I hear you thinking. (I know, I know, I am that good!) Well, lets start by why I bought it in the first place. Well, I love Autumn, and I love the beers produced this time of the year. Oktoberfests, Pumpkin Ales, Candy Corn Beer, all of it! (Well, not the Candy Corn beer, I made that up silly!)
So, Long Trail makes this Harvest stuff, which is supposedly made with Vermont ingredients and get this, maple syrup. OK, I can dig the local Vermont ingredients, but maple syrup? I’m in! (Disclaimer – I LOVE maple syrup. B grade especially.)
So, once I tried Harvest, and could not detect even the slightest essence of maple syrup, I was PISSED! When I saw it in my local beer shop for less, I was even more pissed! (To clarify, I was ‘pissed’ in the American sense, not the British sense in both pissed instances.)
So, here I have a six pack of this unremarkable brown ale, totally lacking the one ingredient that swayed me to disobey my gut in the first place. What to do? Drink it of course! I took my time and tried to find what it is that makes Long Trail brew this beer year after year, and why so many other people are happy with it. And?
I have no idea.
Yes, the beer is drinkable. Yes, as it warmed a bit, the beer became slightly more interesting, but for the life of me I do not understand the appeal. While it looked nice and Autumnal in the glass, that was about it. I noted some nuttyness, mild roastyness, and a touch of sweet like caramel (not maple dammit) in the aroma as well as the taste. None of these seemingly enjoyable flavors stood out enough either individually, or as a whole to make the beer interesting in the least. To top it off, the beer seemed watery and thin.
So, I’m disappointed that I bought this beer, especially a whole six-pack. I would have been happy with a single, and had I waited a little bit, I would have just had the one bottle to complain about an not 5+1. Oh well. It didn’t do anything for me especially because the maple that is mentioned on the label is not the least bit detectable, which totally sucks.
You can’t win ‘em all, and it would be silly to think I’d like every beer that Long Trail brews, or any brewer’s total lineup for that matter. I’ll just put Harvest in the ‘don’t buy again’ list along with their Blackbeary Wheat and focus on the rest of their stuff which is very good.
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Posted in 1 Star Reviews, American Beers, Seasonal Beers
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October 24th, 2011 at 7:01 am
I had the same feeling with the Tommy Knocker Nut Brown Maple – I didn’t get any maple flavoring and it left me wanting. Yesterday I tried some of the Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale and thought I tasted some tobacco (pipe kind not cigarette). It was … okay (I couldn’t decide between two or three stars on my ranking system). I will say this for it though, it’s session-like so at less than 5%, I was able to drink it during the 2nd half of the Jets game and not have to worry about driving home.
October 24th, 2011 at 10:00 am
I bought a bottle (a single bottle) of Long Trail Harvest Ale at Perfect Pour based on the label alone. Not for the maple syrup as advertised, but for the “American Gothic” parody. I couldn’t detect the maple syrup in this or the Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown, either. Have you found a beer with maple syrup flavor that you recommend?
October 24th, 2011 at 11:12 am
@Kim – That’s an interesting comparison to the Tommyknocker Nut Brown Maple. I just reviewed it last Monday and didn’t link to it!
http://thebrewclub.com/2011/10/17/tommyknocker-nut-brown-maple/
I agree though. I found a little more maple in there, particularly in the aftertaste if you waited for it, but nothing that made me think it was a maple-infused beer at all. In tis defense, my bottle might have been on the older side, so I’m willing to give it another try sometime.
Regarding Peak Organic, I’ve heard that they have a beer with maple too? Haven’t tried that, have you?
Nice site BTW!
@Lee – I’m still looking! Someone mentioned Peak Organic has something with maple. OK, I checked, its called ‘The Maple Collaboration’ and its a beer based on their ‘previously brewed’ Maple Oat Ale. Gonna have to look for it!
October 24th, 2011 at 11:17 am
Thanks Scott (about the site). Will have to see if I can find the Peak Maple Collaboration. To me, I think maple and beer would go well together, so I’d like to find something with it. Maybe, I’ll have to experiment and brew some of my own.
October 24th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
@Kim – that’s always an option!
October 24th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
Scott, I had a similar experience with Long Trails Brown Ale. Don’t lose hope in the Browns though. I also reviewed an Ellie’s Brown Ale from Avery Brewing and it blew the doors off the Long Trail. Give it a try you won’t be dissappointed. Cheers!
October 25th, 2011 at 12:47 am
@Mike – Thanks for the encouragement! As a matter of fact, I just tried the Brown Ale in the Wolaver’s Fall variety pack and loved it! It had body. It had flavor! It was a good beer that I had just in time – so I know there are good brown’s out there. I’ll give the Avery one a try if I see it.
October 25th, 2011 at 6:11 am
I’m feeling a definite trip to the beer store coming on. The Avery White Rascal was a big hit here this summer, so I’m anxious to try some of their other stuff.
October 25th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
@Kim – Avery makes some nice stuff! I really enjoyed their ‘Hog Heaven’ which is a saison. I’ve seen the brown ale mentioned, but haven’t tried it myself just yet.