Review Date 5/4/2012
Try?
Re-buy?
Is this the spring of session beers? It seems that way anyway. I’ve certainly seen a number of them hitting the shelves (and taps for that matter) lately. Submitted for your approval tonight: Highland Little Hump Spring Ale, an American Pale Ale from Asheville, North Carolina’s Highland Brewing Company. Little Hump might be low on alcohol, but they certainly don’t skimp on the hops here. As I’ve noted in other reviews of “session” brews, lighter in alcohol does not have to mean lower in flavor.
I am not a big fan of the term “session” beer. I suppose I should make that clear. Session refers to drinkability, it’s often said a beer of slower strength can be drunk in a session over an afternoon or evening while not having an overly intoxicating effect. I think you can session any beer, as long as you pace yourself and perhaps drink the occasional glass of water as a spacer.
Anyway, back to the Little Hump Spring Ale. The beer is named for the Little Hump mountain in North Carolina. It’s brewed with Vienna, carapils, caramel, 2-row and pale malts. Amarillo and Cascade hops are used for aroma (the beer is dry hopped with them too) and Simcoes for bittering.
My
mug of Highland Little Hump Spring Ale arrived a bright yellow color
with a thick creamy head formation and a very bright citrusy hop nose.
Taking a sip, there’s a touch of malt underneath but you really never get a
chance to taste it. That’s because the bright spicy citrus hops immediately
take over with a bold and robust grapefruit flavor and aroma. Indeed, the
light malt allows those bright citrusy hops to shine through more
abundantly. There’s also a long, dry bitter finish as well to add to the
dominance of the hops in this beer.
At just 4.5% alcohol by volume Highland Little Hump Spring Ale is certainly drinkable. It’s also long on flavor if not on malt. A delightful spring refresher if a rather one-dimensional one, this is a beer I will certainly be looking for again. A good deal, too, at $5 a pint.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
