Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

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

Alextricity

Michigan

4.29/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Quite honestly, wow.

Appearance: A nice bronze-ish color with a very nice head ... the lacing is remarkable from beginning to end. One gorgeous looking beer.

Smell: Just a completely awesome splash of hops on the nose with a perfect amount of malts to let you know that they're in there ... one of the most balanced smelling IPAs I've whiffed.

Taste/feel: Truly outstanding, and that's all that can really be said about it ... one of the best beers that I have ever had, no doubt. Celebration could well be the best IPA I've had, and I've had some good ones. It just has that nice bitterness you'd expect from an IPA, but it has some malty character as well. Not many IPAs are quite like this one, and I can completely understand all of the acclaim. Nearly flawless.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 06:08:49 | More by Alextricity

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.26/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: This beer pours a nice soft amber with yellows and oranges throughout. There is one full finger of pure white head that sticks around for a little. As the foam settles, there is a small amount of lacing left on the glass.

S: The nose is mostly pine, with a touch of citrus, and a decent amount of yeast. It is really well balanced. Just an overall great mix of malt, hops, and yest.

T: Right up front I am greeted with big hoppy pine notes. The flavors transition into a mix of malt and citrus in the middle, and it finishes with some sweet malt and more pine. This is a really solid beer.

M: Medium bodied beer. The flavors dance on the buds, and move off when they are supposed to. There is some pine and spice notes left on the palate after a few sips, but nothing too overwhelming.

O: This is a very well done beer. I'll be drinking a lot more of this during the winter.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 16:24:51 | More by trxxpaxxs

NOOGIE

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Look: Poured 12 oz bottle into pint glass. Deep copper color with big foam head that stays around for the full drink, with lacing throughout.

Smell: Good variety of different fresh kinds of hops, full of spicy, piney, and citrusy smell. Mixed with pale and caramel malts.

Taste: Excellent mixture of the hops and malts give it an excellent mix of spicy and sweet finished off nicely.

Mouthfeel: More hops then malts, no problem then, its like 60/40 balance, spicy and sweet again.

Overall: With a higher alcohol content, its not that heavy, good warming feeling on these colder nights and the day before SNOWMEGGEDON in Wisconsin.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 20:30:57 | More by NOOGIE

TheMarkE

California

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Nice deep amber with a thick foam and a lacing that lasts.

Smell: Pine, caramel, and more pine. Kind of like a caramel covered Christmas tree.

Taste: Pine, caramel, and more pine. And floral and grapefruit. And spice and crackers and...

Mouthfeel: Crisp, medium-bodied, with a lingering aftertaste that begs for another sip.

Overall: A near-perfect blend of malts and hops, this is one IPA to look forward to each winter.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 01:10:54 | More by TheMarkE

bigbeard

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is a well balanced American IPA with tons of citrusy hop aroma and flavor and a good amount of bitterness. It generally has that Sierra Nevada taste which all of their APA/IPA's like Pale Ale, Torpedo, and Ruthless Rye have, but I think this is the most aromatic of the bunch and it kind of has that piney zest that makes me think of Christmas. In comparison, Ruthless is a bit dryer, Torpedo the most bitter, and the Pale the lightest and easy-drinkingest.

I have considered this beer my most anticipated seasonal for as long as I can remember.

Price is good. $7.99/6

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 00:08:36 | More by bigbeard

cousineddy

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a robust copper color with three fingers of fluffy off white head with good retention and lacing.

Smell: Toffee and malt, finishes with florals and citrus from hops

Taste: Similair profile to the smell, Starts sweet with Toffee, butterscotch and roasty malts, finishes slightly bitter yet zesty from the hops.

Mouthfeel: Not as heavy as i expected, fairly light for a winter seasonal

Overall: This will be put in my rotation of winter "go to" beers, very nice when you want a change of pace from the heavier, sweeter christmas ales.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 05:24:48 | More by cousineddy

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

3.83/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a nonic pint.

A - Nice deep copper hue, with a fluffy three-finger eggshell colored head. Rings of lacing. Definitely a good looking brew.

S - Powerful aroma of piney, resinous hops. Some caramel malts as well.

T - Taste follows the nose, with assertive hops forward, supported by a toasted cracker-like malt. Hops are floral to the point of sprucey, with a hint of mint coolness. A little alcohol bite detectable in the finish. Malt sweetness and hop bitterness blend seemlessly in every sip.

M - Medium bodied and carbonated. Drying finish. Works well with the flavor profile.

O - A really good and balanced IPA. I found the hop profile to have a little too much pine for my personal taste. (I prefer a little more citrus in my IPA's). But again, a solid product here.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 04:00:14 | More by TempeBeerMan

Jadjunk

Georgia

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a re-review of a holiday classic that I have savored annually for several years now. "Celebration Ale is a special ale for the holidays. Featuring the first hops of the growing season, this pioneering IPA is full of complex flavors and aromas from the generous use of whole cone American hops." Celebration Ale is brewed in the style of a Fresh-hopped American IPA.

Poured from a 12oz. bottle to a snifter. Served in the upper 40ºs Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours an initially thick but crispy cream froth head that retains slightly above average, slowing as it settles. Lacing is thin and spotty. Body color is a brilliant golden orange with some sediment-like matter in suspension, giving the clarity significant haze. 4

(Smell) Robust, full and fresh resiny and piney hops character are first and foremost, followed with fainter citrus notes, rounded out with a slick caramel body. The wet hop aroma provides a full hop aroma without burdening the balance and overpowering the bitterness perceived in the aroma. Overall, it's an approachable beer with a lot of hop character and a mellow, but balanced warm malt backbone. It's not super complex, but pleasing and inviting. Aroma overall is quite muted at low temperatures, so I regret popping the cap prematurely on this. Best let it warm until the low to mid 50ºs for the full hopped nose experience. 3.5

(Taste) Big wet hop flavor, medium hop bitterness. Wet hopped IPAs are something of a specialty and don't come often outside of harvest ales but they work wonders in providing full hop flavor and character in this beer and enhancing the body depth significantly. Hop character is not as bright and sharp as in most IPAs but is well-rounded and pairs well with the sweet (and deep) caramel background. There's likely a touch of rye and honey malt with the caramel for depth. There's some substantial bitterness to be found here, especially on the finish, but with a thorough malt bill it really balances out. Overall, it makes for a much heavier-bodied IPA than the rest of the IPA crowd, chock full of flavor and character too. Growing alcohol and resiny bitterness give this beer a bit of a spicy bite on the finish. As an IPA, it's a really different take on the style but works out phenomenally with a really approachable, enjoyable flavor. 4.5

(Mouthfeel) A pleasing medium ground with some chewy body and a resiny slickness that strays from focusing on excessive carbonation. Body is heavy for the style, short of medium amongst all beers. Alcohol presence is medium and up. It really defines a style outside of an IPA but the carbonation level and body are nearly ideal for the flavor of this beer. 4.5

(Overall) Sierra Nevada Celebration is a classic. Coming out during a time when most people are contempt on Imperial Stouts and Belgian Quadrupels, Celebration offers a remarkable spin on the IPA, providing a beer with some hop character, a slick, chewy caramel background and an unbelievably deep body for a beer commonly associated with crisp malts and citrusy hops. Getting this beer as close to fresh as possible is the best way to savor the fragile flavors this holiday classic has to offer. 4

Vertical Reviews:

2011 (1+ Year Aged): Despite having a more presentable head quality, surprisingly for an aged IPA, the sediment in suspension has settled and cleared significantly, resulting in slightly improved clarity and perhaps an ever-slightly (but hardly perceivable) brighter coloration in the body. Aroma suggests the obvious; the hop character has almost completely faded, but the caramel body intensifies with age, smelling even more powerful and warm and and the yeast matches, developing sweet fruity characteristics to the mix, reminiscent of raisins and dates. The flavor is similar, albeit falls shallow in a couple of key areas, most notably the sweetness, which has diminished significantly, resulting in a dryer malt profile. Hop flavor lends a hand to balance out the beer although it isn't nearly as bright as it once was, Hop bitterness has held up well, although it is growing sharply out of balance amongst the diminishing malt profile. The bitter, thick finish isn't nearly as intense as it was in the fresh batch, either. Many of the yeast characteristics developing in the nose carry over to the flavor, although still partially masked by the hop bitterness. Although there were a few things going for this beer in the beginning, the overall impression is that much of the strength this beer has is in its freshness and bright spirit. An aged bottle isn't terrible, but it loses much of its balance and flavor, and in that regard, loses even more of its overall appeal. Consider holding aside a bottle to see if it works for yourself, but the results may not be desirable for everybody.

Recommended Age: As fresh as possible.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's
Celebration Fresh Hop Ale
4.18/5.00

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 03:39:43 | More by Jadjunk

mecummins

Illinois

4.46/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass

A- Poured a golden amber color with hints of orange. Slightly cloudy with yeastie goodness. One to one & a half finger ivory head with minimal lacing

S- Pine & resin on the front with a fair amount of grapefruit. Right behind is a bit of bready yeast and a whiff of floral as well

T- Amazingly well balanced. It tastes exactly like it smells, just more intense. Pine and resin mixed with the crispness of the grapefruit. There is also toasty & sweet malts to round it out. Everything works in harmony.

M- Light to medium mouthfeel, but not at all watery. Nicely carbonated as well. Very refreshing and crisp. There was a long, hoppy, bitter (but not unpleasantly so) finish.

O- Full disclosure. I usually don't like IPAs. But this beer was a revelation. It was so well balanced and thought out. I can see why people wait for this beer all year.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 22:40:35 | More by mecummins

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

Alchemist

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Always a favorite for the holidays. The aroma is of citrus and grapefruit notes. A nice deep amber color supports a nice head when poured and lasts sufficiently throughout.

Personally, I prefer an IPA with a solid malt background and this it. While the aroma immediately says IPA, the taste is balanced with plenty of malt followed by a delicious hop finish.

This is a holiday staple. I hope they never change it.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 22:10:27 | More by Alchemist

Moose90

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip pint
Bottled November 22nd
Tasted 1/1/13

A - Amber, bright amber, copper hue to it. Has a big head, almost overflowed the glass, maybe too much carbonation right out of the gates. Leaves solid lacing that sticks with each sip.

S - Fresh hops for sure, a little pine, spice and grapefruit. Pleasant nose. A little malt comes through but not much.

T - Lots of good, fresh hops. Lightly balanced with some caramel malt. Really solid on the hop profile. Very drinkable, little spice from the hops again.

M - Easy drinking, carbonation reduced after the strong pour. Medium mouth feel, not too light, just right.

O - One of the best. I look forward to it coming out every year. I should just buy this by the case. Always sad to see it go.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 20:51:53 | More by Moose90

rappmann

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip

A - Coppery and orange, with two fingers of off-white head. Perfect, billowing tight head that sticks around for what seems like forever. Great lacing, a bit dark for an ipa, but tis' the season.

S - Earthy spicy hoppy liquid bliss, this beer is nicely balanced with a bready character.

T - Piney resinous hops, which i'm used to from this brewery. Spicy malty finish, this is so well balanced, I could literally drink it all night.

M - Nice carbonation, easy drinking feel. Leaves a lingering hoppy flavour in the mouth.

O - great beer, I try my hardest to be in the states at some point when it's on shelves every single year.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 04:25:31 | More by rappmann

WSGosset

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is my first review, so we'll see how it goes...

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Bright copper color. Clear with a light head which dissipates fairly quickly

S: My beer-smelling skills may not be up to snuff yet, but I do not get an especially strong aroma here, especially when compared to some of the more floral and/or citrusy IPAs. My best description would be clean and hoppy, but not overwhelming.

T: The bittering hops are definitely up front in this beer but, as was the case with aroma, the hops are strong but not excessive. There is a nice bitter aftertaste.

M: Fairly light without being watery. Crisp with a hoppy bite.

O: This strikes me as a very solid IPA. It doesn't seem exceptionally complex, but I don't think that it needs to be. This is a very drinkable beer which does an excellent job at highlighting the flavor of fresh hops.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 04:11:58 | More by WSGosset

bigaltemple

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Amber/dark copper in color. Thick, foamy, off-white head becomes a rocky cap. Tons of sticky lacing.

S - Amazing nose! Lots of floral hops upfront. Almost tropical with orange and peach coming forward. Mild sense of pine and grass. Underlying malt presence balances this out really well.

T/M - Sweet and bready malt blends with floral and earthy hops to make this extremely well balanced. Bitterness is spot on and leaves just enough of a lingering aftertaste to make you take another drink. And another, and so on... Medium body with great carbonation.

O - Always a favorite, never let down by this one. Almost always have a couple in the fridge during the holidays.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 04:43:56 | More by bigaltemple

richj1970

Alabama

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12 oz bottle into Chimay goblet.

A: Beautiful coppery-red color with two to three fingers of fluffy white head with great retention. Tons of carbonation.

S: Citrus, pine, grass, and lots of hops.

T: Light citrus flavors, but hops really dominate overall. Finishes with a fair amount of bitterness. Nice crisp flavor that refreshes the palette.

M: Thin body. Good amount of carbonation. Bitterness lingers afterwards.

O: A nice IPA that is both affordable and widely available. I will definitely pick some up again next year.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:27:02 | More by richj1970

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours amber with off-white head that lingers well in snifter. Tons of sticky lacing.

Smell of pine and citrus. Hints of alcohol and spices. Little bit of funk and floral too, if that's possible.

Taste is sweet malts, pine and grapefruit. Good bitterness that lingers on the palate. Nice balance.

Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied.

Overall this is excellent. Will look for this every year.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 23:12:33 | More by TrappistJohnMD

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer is a hazy amber colour with a large white head on top. Good retention and lacing.

Scent consists of a fresh hoppy scent, grassy and some pine. Some citrus scents as well, slight grapefruit. A bit of toasty malt.

Taste is similar to the nose. Grassy, herbal and pine focused hops, with some grapefruit in the back. Some toasted caramel malt providing a backbone. Finish contains a clean hoppy flavour.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. A bit oily.

Overall, a good beer, though it doesn't strike me as as good as the reviews suggest. Certainly nice to drink, however,

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 19:30:53 | More by jrenihan

rundocrun

Iowa

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Body is a beautiful coppery-red color. Two fingers of fluffy off-white head with great retention. Tons of lace. This is one sexy beer.

S - Grapefruit rind, grass, black pepper, and some dank earthiness from the hops. Some rich toasted cereal, and caramelized sugar aroma.

T - Subtle lemongrass and bitter grapefruit flavors up front. Clean, light caramel and more earthy/herbal hop flavor through the middle. Finish has a good kick of bitterness and more grapefruit, and slightly tannic grassy flavor intermingled with the soft and ever-so-smooth malts.

M - Thin-to-medium body. Good carbonation. Finish is fairly clean and semi-dry with some noticeable residual sugars--in my mind, this is perfectly acceptable for a winter AIPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 05:29:38 | More by rundocrun

HerdNo1

West Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a goblet

A: Incredible head. I had to pour, wait, pour, wait, pour wait, pour to get all 12 ounces out of this bottle. Lacing stuck around throughout. A beautiful copper but held to the light revealed some sediment. Not sure if that was supposed to be there or not and it wasn't chill haze as I poured this at cellar temp and the yeasties stuck around.

S: Hops. Just hops.

T: The first time I had this beer, all I got was hops. This time, I found some malt in the background. That may be because I allowed this beer to warm to cellar temperature rather than drinking it right out of the fridge. There is some malt sweetness but not much and you have to look for it.

M: Medium bodied with a crisp, bitter finish.

O: This is what I would call a barely balanced IPA. There is enough malt to keep it from being undrinkable but it's not as balanced as other IPA's out there. Then again, the other IPA's I'm thinking of are DIPA's so maybe I'm being overly critical in that regard. I supposed I'm still trying to decide how I feel about this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 04:49:39 | More by HerdNo1

BasterdInABasket

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 bottle poured into pint glass
A- Pours a hazy copper color, nice thick off-white head, excellent retention and lacing
S- Smell isn't overpowering but balanced, Earthy, piney hops with some malt balance, good not great
T- Nom.. Big spicy hop bitterness, lots of pine, caramel and toffee malt balance, some citrus fruit in the background. Taste is more dominated by hops than the smell is.
M- Medium slightly creamy in the mouth, carbonation gives a nice, sharp bite on the tongue
O- Piney, Hoppy, Spicy Deliciousness. Easily my #1 consumed beer in the winter

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 03:56:57 | More by BasterdInABasket

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a oud beersel tulip

A: pours a clean looking brownish amber with two fingers of slightly tan head... Excellent retention and lacing... Carbonation bubbles can be seen trudging there way upward through the brew.

S: bitter herbal/floral hops, some grapefruit notes as well along with
a touch if grain and a hint if sweetness in the sturdy malt backbone.

T: much like the nose, alot of herbal and piney bitterness over a lightly grainy, light caramel malt backbone... The hops are very aggressive. There is a bit of citrus in There as well, grapefruit peel mainly. A bit of breadiness going on here as well.

M: heavy medium bodied with very nice creamy carbonation and a dry, bitter, grainy finish that leavs a long lasting after taste in your mouth... Not a huge fan of the aftertaste.

O: a good ipa, seems a little unbalanced... Deffiantly showcasing the hops, which is fine by me, but the lingering aftertaste for the best of me on this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:12:26 | More by PeterIngemi

texasnomad

2.83/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a rusty amber with a two-finger off-white rocky head that settled into thin smooth crust leaving lots of lacing.

All i got was hops in the bouquet - was hoping for a little more.

Piney taste was dominated by the hop bitterness.

Good light to medium-bodied mouthfeel with good carbonation.

Overall this tasted like an average IPA, which means I generally liked it, but looking to taste more than just hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 05:55:06 | More by texasnomad

brureview

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottling date Nov 7 2012. Poured a nice 3 finger head with a copper-honey color.

The aroma was light fruit- citrus- grapefruit.

A tart mouth feel. Perhaps too astringent.

The taste was strong grapefruit. Quite intense grapefruit- perhaps a bit too intense for the beer.
This taste would be more approachable in a DIPA.

Overall: a fine American IPA. Very drinkable. The aroma could be stronger. The citrus imbalance was too much for my palate.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 01:15:05 | More by brureview