Pumpkin beers are definitely on the schedule, but with another sunny and warm weekend coming up, I couldn’t bring myself to contemplate autumn. Instead, a last, wistful look back at the particularly excellent summer of 2015. Nickel Brook’s Wet Hop Pale Ale is emblematic of the harvest ales that make reaping the benefits of summer their raison d’être.

The style aims to showcase the particular characteristics of hops by adding freshly picked cones (harvested the day they’re used, if possible) to a pale ale base. The Burlington, ON brewery put a double emphasis on the “local harvest” aspect by using Bertwell hops (the only variety native to the province) and Canada Malting's Ontario Select malt.

Nickel Brook’s Wet Hop is pale orange gold with a finger’s worth of foam. The aroma twists together cut green grass, bitter citrus peel and a slightly saccharine note of candied lemon. The malt-plus-orange sweetness is a nice flavour counterpoint to the redoubled dose of grassy hops.

The brewery’s website offers an appropriate caution — this is not a beer for ageing. All of those hop-derived aromas and flavours will be at their best between now and Thanksgiving.

Nickel Brook Brewery’s Wet Hop Pale Ale, $7.95 for a 750 ml bottle, LCBO #360107