Cascade First Harvest

After reviewing the Cascade Brewery, Hobart, Tasmania, I really did have to follow up with one for something that I really look forward to. Last year I had a few of the select First Harvest beers. This year a got a carton!

Cascade First Harvest is a limited edition beer, consisting of only 5000 cartons that go Australia wide. It is based on the principal of picking the early 'first' harvest of hops from local vines at Bushy Park, Tasmania. The fresh green super hops is then added to the brewing process. The concept of the first harvest is based on picking just enough on one day to produce one single day of brew. The beer and its particular use of hops is seems to be a bit of a trial at creating a craft style beer, bringing it more to the mainstream, if only for a limited release. The hops included appear to be new varieties, named after the main roads in Hobart, MacQuarie, Brooker and Argyle, and don't seem to feature in any other beer-hops list.

The First harvest this year is 5.5% and as Cascade's own First Harvest tasting notes suggest it exhibits definite flavours of toffee and citrus. Being fresh and early hops (and the blend of the 3 they use), the beer is particularly hoppy, something that I really enjoy in a beer. Normally hops are dried and kept cold, to prevent oxidisation and strange flavours ending up in the beer, or god forbid, losing flavour too. The special thing about this hops is that it is green. The tender, fresh, full of life cones are used to make the beer instead of pre-drying and storing it.  Going back to the tasting notes for a second, I don't notice much of the stone-fruit, i'd say its a hint of, as is the aniseed bitterness.

It's pretty well balanced, if not slightly over fizzy, it whips up a real head when poured, even when done carefully. Then again, i was pretty excited to be drinking it again, so i'd probably given it a stir-up by accident. Cascade First Harvest costs ave. $20/4 or $99 for a full carton of 24. Its not cheap but for a once a year treat, please, do yourself a favour and give it a try.

The Cascade Pale Ale is a great second to this beer, and is a good all year round drink to enjoy. This beer arrives mid May each year, this year I got mine on 15th May but it may have been out for a few days prior to this as its not at all well advertised. In many bottle shops it seems practically hidden away, you wont likely see exterior signs saying they have it but you might see it actually on the counter once you're inside.

There is a promotional video on their website, also shared here:



See their Facebook page for more information. There are some classic old pictures of previous editions, the Brewery itself and their brew.