Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

HoopTime

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint on Christmas Eve from a growler filled that afternoon at Al's of Hampden.

A -- Pours a rich foamy1.5" head with a light caramel tint. The head receded about halfway, then lingered a while while leaving a back-of-the-spoon type coating of lattice on the glass. This is a rich amber with a hint of burnt orange that is remarkably clear. The carbonation bubbles steadily through the middle of the glass. I sat mesmerized watching the chamagne-style bubbles streaming to the top.

S -- Though this is a fresh hopped ale, it does not have that overpowering middle of a pine forest with a pitcher of grapefruit juice by your nose hoppiness to the nose that other fresh hopped ales I have tried had. This is more subtle hoppiness. Unlike fresh hopped beers I have had that you could smell five feet away, this one takes getting your nose over the glass to pick up, but when you get close you will find a hint oi evergreen with citrus undertones.

T -- This starts off bitter and hoppy, citrusy, almost like carbonated grapefruit juice. Then the malt kicks in and balances it out for a very smooth, refreshing finish.

M -- Incredible effervescence, almost champagne like. This pour was extremely carbonated despite my having to open the growler when I got it home to replace a leaky metal lid. Light, bubbly, this damces on your tounge and tickles down the throat.

D -- A little strong for a session beer, but not by much. I could drink this all night.Praise Sierra Nevada for going a different direction from most in a holiday beer. Instead of a big, high alcohol spiced or fruited dark beer, they stuck to the basics and simply produced a beer fitting of celebrating the solstice

Having been turned on to wet and fresh-hopped offerings this fall, I expected this to be more like them, yet was not disappointed in the least by the more subtle approach.

Serving type: growler

12-26-2010 01:40:20 | More by HoopTime

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