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](http://www.thebarleyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/three-notchd-ten-farmers-2.jpg)
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