Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

mactrail

California

3.93/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Dark amber in the pint shaker. Nice foam on top and sudsy mouthfeel. Nice aroma of flowery Cascade-like hops.

Spicy and flowery hop flavors. A distinct touch of the IPA kind of bitter burn, but it's well balanced by a load of malt. Some roasted flavors, a touch warm fruitiness, and a fair amount of sweetness. Really an ideal winter brew but a good thirst quencher. I've been drinking this for years but somehow never reviewed it before. I used to be very fond of it, but it seemed to get overly bitter in recent years. I'll be looking to try it next year.

Crisp and refreshing. On tap at Green Chile Kitchen in San Francisco.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 08:49:58 | More by mactrail

big_kevin

4.54/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

This and the Summerfest are my two favorite seasonal beers from Sierra Nevada.

I like the flavor and how it doesn't (to me) have a lot of the gimmickly holiday flavors common in a Xmas beer, like overly nutty or egg-nog, yuck. Anyway, I think it tastes great.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2013 00:23:05 | More by big_kevin

huxcrunner

New York

4.48/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fantastic, one of the beat beers I've had... amber color nd off white lacing that mark the glass perfectly. Aromas are spit on not over whelming and in a winter season filled with dark Porters this is a excellent alternative the fact that this is only seasonal is the only problem with this beer truly A+

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2013 02:52:07 | More by huxcrunner

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

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

Been drinking this beer for years and never had it on tap, so when I seen it at TJ Smiths I jumped at it.
And it's just like the bottled version.
It had the same ruby copper amber color but had gentile carbonation and a smallish head.
Aroma were the same loads of fresh hops and sutle malts.
Taste was quite hoppy and bold and bitter with a good dose of malts to rein in the hops a bit.
Drank refreshingly smooth with a clean dry and somewhat bitter aftertaste.
One of my top 5 favorite beers still after all these years.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2012 14:49:00 | More by micromaniac129

Prime16

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Perfect holiday beer. Very well balanced, not overly spiced and very drinkable. More malty than hoppy, this is better than past Celebrations I've had in the past. Slightly sweet and caramel. Great body.
Rich copper, with a thick, Cream-colored head.
Citrus up front, with pine following.
Easy to see why they release this brew during the holiday season - its rich flavors are perfect for this time of year.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2012 15:41:07 | More by Prime16

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.5/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – The beer is served an amber color with a two finger white head. The head fades slowly over time to give a decent level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is heaviest of some biscuit malt, hop, and a spice. The spice is light overall with the hop aromas are of a pine and grapefruit citrus in nature.

Taste – The taste starts with a bready and roasted flavor. A light sweetness of fruit and caramel is present upfront, which fades as the taste advances further. Spice and hop flavors soon come to the tongue. The spice flavors are the light just as the nose would have suggested and with the loss of some of the sweetness and the new presence of a pine and grapefruit hop flavors, bring a bitter spiced and bready flavor to linger on the tongue at the very end of the taste.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is medium in thickness with a carbonation level that is quite average. Not bad for the roasted and spiced flavors of the brew with the moderate carbonation level maintaining a good drinkability.

Overall – A decent brew. A little bitter for a winter brew, as the bitterness and the spice don’t meld perfectly, but overall not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2012 01:16:41 | More by Darkmagus82

HoppyPeteSkolnik31

3.2/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Keystone in Whitehall, PA

A: Nice amber color with a thick head which helped to develop the lacing throughout the beer.

S: My nose was filled with malt, not hops which was a bit surprising after reading reviews that labeled this beer a hopheads delight.

M: The feel of this beer was rather full, led by that more malty than hoppy character which I really didn't expect.

T: The taste was similar to the smell, earthy malt and earthy hops. Not what I thought it would be, but not fully disappointing.

O: Don't think I'll be going back to this one and possibly not back to any Sierra Nevada IPAs again. In my opinion, each has been overrated for my taste. I consider myself to be quite the hophead and I have been let down by this beer as well as the Torpedo in the past. From the reviews I thought I'd love this beer. From my personal taste, it wasn't what I'd hoped. Their pale ale is fine, but I've come to question if their reputation is taking precedence over people's taste buds.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2012 01:26:51 | More by HoppyPeteSkolnik31

VJBarGuy

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Setting: On tap at VJ Bar in Chicago.

Glass: Imperial pint glass.

Appearance: Gorgeous burnt orange/copper with pillowy white head. 1.5-2 fingers of head that dissipates to less than 0.5 fingers after a couple of minutes and leaves a nice lacing around the glass.

Smell: Floral nose with notes of citrus (lemon), grass, and rye. Nose is firm but not overpowering.

Taste: Immediately smacks you in the face with malt followed by caramel notes. Hops and grapefruit are substantial - but not overwhelming to the palate. Toasty/Biscuity finish.

Mouthfeel: Very soft and creamy. One of the best aspects of this beer.

Overall: One of my favorite beers - just in time for the season with 6.8% of holiday cheer! Beautiful appearance with wonderful lacing around the pint glass from start to finish. A great balance between the malts and hops with a nice nose. The perfect pint as the weather turns a bit colder.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2012 04:19:45 | More by VJBarGuy

mlrob2398

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Just tapped a sixtel of fresh Celebration. Absolutely amazing mouthfeel and aroma. Definitely malty but with a perfect balance of hops. Amazing that it is only 6.8 %. Will be loving this for days to come. Perfect beer for upcoming football games. I have had it before in bottles but amazing fresh on draft!

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2012 20:52:49 | More by mlrob2398

TheRealBigC

Nevada

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

I tried Celebration Ale in my first 6 months of drinking beer and could not put it down. I had labeled it the worst beer I've ever had. Not long after I had a similar experience with Lagunitas' IPA. But, after some time developing a taste for big hops and such, I've revisited a lot of these beers with different results. The Lagunitas IPA still does nothing for me, but I rather like Celebration Ale. It's reddish body and sticky head looks nice. Mild hop aromas and flavor with a surprising woodiness to it (an appropriate label for sure). It's an easy drinker that doesn't give up any flavor in doing so. Hops can be pungent, but it feels more like they are there to force into savoring smaller sips rather than gulp it down.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 23:56:35 | More by TheRealBigC

HopAlongG

New Hampshire

4.66/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I can't add a whole lot to the myriad excellent reviews...other than to say it's fantastic and I wait for its arrival every year. I've been out with less discerning drinking buds that singled it out as "the best of the night" when I had them drinking some of the other great IPAs.

SN never ceases to amaze with the quality they pump out...and Celebration always delivers. It has become a part of the anticipation of the Christmas season for me. Enjoy!

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2012 21:55:03 | More by HopAlongG

gusdabrew

Ohio

5/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bought 2 cases this year at Costco before Christmas. The following week they were sold out. This is my all time favorite treat. A hop heads delight and a Christmas tradition.

appearance: burnt orange with a head that never settles down

smell: fresh and lively

taste: the mother's milk for Sierra Nevada hop heads

mouthfeel: full and refreshing

overall: although I consider myself a novice - this is the only beer I go out my way to find. Its a special beer for a special time of year.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2012 14:11:50 | More by gusdabrew

legalpete19340

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Came to the bar looking a clear copper color with more than one finger of thick chalky head. It sticks to everything and laces the glass like a beer should.

S: Its all hops. Big angry herbal hops with a good fistful of pine thrown in the back. A hint of saltine crackers in the back.

T: Immediately it hits with a malt fist: caramel, grain and toasted bread. But then the hops. Its like all the herbal hops rush to smack the palate and then ring it to near death with a biting bitterness with hints of lemon, citrus and pine causing almost a pucker at the end. Is that some black pepper? The finish is quite dry and chalky with the mouth ringing from a hop smack. The alcohol hides out but gives a nice warm after a few sips.

M: Medium with a thin profile as it flows.

O: Truly a great beer. Its the standard for winter drinking. A huge hop smack that is quite unique in its delivery.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2012 04:47:58 | More by legalpete19340

r0gueleader

California

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fantastic! Had it on-tap at a local lounge and it did not disappoint. The color was a amber/copper and it had a citrus/pine smell to it with some warm malt sweetness. It was bitter but not overpowering, many different hop flavors with a malt caramel backbone. A very drinkable IPA; very smooth, not too overwhelming. Perfect for the festive season.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 08:39:05 | More by r0gueleader

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Note: This review was a re-post from my former account, jmkratt, which was hacked and I lost all my reviews...sorry for the redundancy.

On tap at Uptown Brewing Co. in Denver on 1/28/2010. Poured into an Uptown pint glass.

A - Deep amber/cooper color with a nice 2 finger head with decent retention and lacing throughout the glass.

S - I was not impressed with the aroma of the beer, or lack thereof. Very mild citrus hop aroma but really not much at all.

T/M - The beer actually starts with sweeter tones of roasted malts before transitioning to a earthy/piney/citrus palette which blends fairly well with the malts. The beer finishes with a slight astringent bitterness. Medium bodied with good carbonation.

D - Drinkable beer but I'd prefer a Torpedo.

Overall, its been years since I had a Celebration Ale so I looked forward to this beer. I found it slightly above average. It will probably be years before I reach for another.

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 01-28-2011 21:06:50

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2012 21:53:31 | More by hopfacebrew

B33R501

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

an icon for good reason. enjoyed at chaps norristown last nite $2.50 / pint, can you beat that? still drinking great 3 months old. really pairs well with last nites dinner french onion soup and hot wings. 1/2 price craft and 1/2 price wings, what a happy hour.

pours beautiful amber great head that sticks around, smells citrus hops with that great malt background. this beer is all about balance. taste follows, spot on bitterness with that bitter orange peel finish, so fresh, drinkable, hopheads delight.

one of the two best single ipas in the world.
port high tide would be the other.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2012 13:14:24 | More by B33R501

david18

New York

3.55/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This was my review from a bottle I had a while ago:

I had this beer as part of a special that were offering at my local beer store. Two very large bottles for $5.00. It says winter beer on the bottle but I would agree that it's more of an IPA than anything else.

Good golden/amber color. Excellent head, great aroma and good IPA flavor.

___

The draft is pretty much the same. A very good beer that I would order any time I see it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2012 20:27:57 | More by david18

MTNboy

Missouri

3.78/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a copper color like a new penny. Orange-red body. Rocky head and great lace.

Smell: Very herbal and pasture like with a bread like finish.

Taste: The hops hit you first as one might expect from Sierra. There are bitter citrus tones followed by some pine and grass. At the end you get some very mild malt.

Mouthfeel: A little bit sticky and medium. The carbonation has some bit to it.

Overall: Not my type of holiday beer but being objective I would say that it was pretty good.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2012 05:04:45 | More by MTNboy

y2jrock60

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this for the first time on tap last night, which was New Years. I don't really remember it too well since I had my fair share of drinks. It was pretty good, but not as good as I was hyped up to believe.

It was pretty dark for an IPA and kind of one dimensional. I was expecting more than just one hop character. Overall, not too bad, definitely a nice and bitter thick IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2012 16:44:01 | More by y2jrock60

Cozzatoad

Italy

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nice find at a local beer bar. It's quite unusual to find tapped beer from the US and this was also super fresh

A- Deep dark orange colour, quite hazy. Almost 3 fingers of amazingly frothy white head that shows decent retention. Loads of super-dense lacing on the sides of the glass

S- Background grainy malt base, with a slight toasted hint to it. Then piny, herbal and menthol notes from the hops. A slight hint of spiciness, probably from the esters

T- Toasted grainy malt backbone as the smell suggested. A bold resinous, piny bittering bite hits the palate, but it never gets too aggressive or bitter thanks to a very nice range of undernotes from the hops: some kind of floral feel, mint, tobacco, as well as some spicy grapefruit and lemon notes on the tongue. Nicely persistent resinous, bitter aftertaste

M- Medium bodied. Extremely smooth on the palate with just the right hint of delicate but very thick carbonation. More on the juicy and fresh side on the tongue, where the fruity flavours spread

O- Perhaps the most complex IPA i have tried (not that i have tried hundreds). I was asking myself how an american IPA could be meant for the winter but now i see, this is absolutely perfect for the winter. Still extremely drinkable despite its intense bitterness. Great beer

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2011 09:41:38 | More by Cozzatoad

cfergusn

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hopiness is present almost immediately. Slight lacing on the head, not a lot present. Appearance is light red/brown, body is full of hops as stated previous. I tasted a slight hint of woodsyness with what to me was pine. No mint with this one, but feels a little dry with a slight after taste.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 04:56:18 | More by cfergusn

ForWhatAlesYou

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Stout's Pub in Falcon Heights , MN. Served in a 10 oz. glass.

A: Rich amber with dark ruby tones. Lacing is beautiful, thick, and lingers. Head is dense, white, and rich.

S: Some graniness (toasty) sits behind a big veil of floral hoppiness.

T: Yes! This is what an IPA (fresh hop!) should be. A lot of the citrus grapefruit but also a dank floral too. Piney tones work to compliment and weaves through the somewhat caramel/rye flavors of the malt/grist.

M: Somewhat rich and viscous. Hops have astringent drying quality that is a perfect compliment to the texture. Good.

D: I really liked this one. FInd it, seek it out. It is good.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2011 17:58:03 | More by ForWhatAlesYou

sinkfloridasink

Florida

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark Copper. More depth then your standard IPA. Great carbonation visibility.
S - Hops and dry fruit. both warm and soothing. no booze.
T - Hop forward, dry fruits finish. Spice and vanilla are detectable.
M - Creamy as a milk stout. Thick but drinkable, coats the mouth like pork fat. pleasant.
O - Very fine IPA, best from sierra. Worth the wait for winter time.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2011 15:13:02 | More by sinkfloridasink

jkanavel

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at the flying saucer, also have a sixer (now a deuce) in my fridge.

A: amber and golden with a slight hop haze. Tiny bubbles float to the top, and the head is soft, pillowy, and pristine white.

S: Sharp and astringent. Floral and fruity. Vegetal. Lots of citrust in the nose with a biscuity, matly backbone.

T: Fresh hops, though different on tap and bottled. Its like rubbing hops in your face and inhaling deeply. Bitter and sharp, but very harmonious. There is a lingering sweetness on the tongue that serves to curb the after taste of all those hops.

M: Bubbly, but thick, viscous, and smooth. This is a great IPA.

O: Love it. This is my favorite Sierra Nevada brew yet.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2011 09:35:59 | More by jkanavel

Duhast500

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the tap into a pint glass.

The color is an orange/red with a finger or two of foamy off-white head and some nice lacing left on the glass.

The smell is pretty piney like a Christmas tree and has some nice earthy tones to the aroma as well. There is some big hops here and it’s not hiding it.

The taste is bitter with some interesting pine flavor mixed with some citrus fruits. The hops are here and make things Christmas-like with the piney hop flavor. There is some sweet malt flavor but they play in the background as the hops steal the spotlight.

The feel of this beer is medium body but a little bitter at first. Something to get used to this beer does mellow out and then has a smooth feel that slides around easier then expected.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 16:56:35 | More by Duhast500