Nov 18, 2015

Three Notch’d 10* Farmers Pale Ale

In 2014 Three Notch’d Brewing released their first offering in bottle — a wet hopped ale called 10 Farmers — that utilized only Virginia grown Cascade hops from, you guessed it, 10 hop farms. This year they’ve added an asterisk and three more local growers to the mix. 10* Farmers Pale Ale incorporates almost 400 pounds of the green, leafy flowers this time around.

I missed out on the inaugural release, but was lucky enough to snag a couple of bottles of the 2015 effort. And, man, do I feel bad for those of you that missed out. 10* Farmers Pale Ale brings everything you want from a wet hop, harvest ale. It’s leafy, piney, earthy, herbal and refreshing — ideal for the warm October afternoon in which I enjoyed its lovely array of flavors.

Appearance

The beer pours gold in color with a frothy cap of pillowy, white foam.

Three Notch'd 10* Farmers Pale Ale photo

Aroma

Earthy, herbal hop notes lead the way for soft pine, grass and distant grapefruit. Biscuity malt fills in the behind to even everything out.

Taste

10* Farmers Pale Ale is a fresh and lively beer. Earthy hops with grassy, lemony notes dominate as herbal traits, pine and grapefruit play in the background. Honey and a touch of biscuit also make an appearance in an attempt to level everything out, but this one is all about the fresh hops. The bitterness is of a moderate to high level that fades slowly to the clean and bright finish. At 6.5% ABV the brew is fairly easy drinking with the hop flavors and bitterness working in conjunction with one another.

Overall

I thoroughly enjoyed 10* Farmers Pale Ale. It’s not just an earthy, hop bomb with loads of bitterness. It’s a thoughtful and considerate brew that manages to deliver a solid array of flavors in an unassuming package. The beer isn’t earth shattering or experimental in any way — it’s a reflection of what a well crafted pale ale should be. I should have bought more.

Rating: 4/5

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