Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

BeerAmbassador

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Kind of funny that I have not reviewed this one yet, I guess when you are always trying to seek out new beers you forget about the everyday beers out there. Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a two finger off white head. After it dissipates it leaves a bit of lacing and a thin froth on the top. Slight pine and dried hop leaf aromas with a bit of estery fruit in the malt. Nicely balanced malt and hops with a medium body good carbonation due to the bottle conditioning. A nice lingering hop bitterness that makes its presence known but is not overpowering. Funny how tastes can change, when I was younger and new to beer this beer seemed so bitter to me now after years of drinking what seems to be hoppier and hoppier beers this one barely registers. To me this beer is important in the same way that beers like Sam Adams Boston Lager are important. They were pioneers in the craft beer scene, they are good benchmarks for the style and maybe more importantly, they turn new beer drinkers on to craft beer. A great American Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 01:40:26 | More by BeerAmbassador

Spaz7

California

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-24-2013 21:05:23 | More by Spaz7

vinicole

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-24-2013 19:25:47 | More by vinicole

RBCIPA

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

05-24-2013 00:09:24 | More by RBCIPA

visionaries

California

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

05-23-2013 17:07:31 | More by visionaries

kvnstfrd

Missouri

1/5  rDev -75.4%

05-23-2013 13:51:23 | More by kvnstfrd

ipas-for-life

Virginia

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-23-2013 13:09:30 | More by ipas-for-life

jroberts8811

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-23-2013 12:58:33 | More by jroberts8811

Topher78

California

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-23-2013 02:49:02 | More by Topher78

UWBadgerFan4Life

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-23-2013 01:36:52 | More by UWBadgerFan4Life

erialbill

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-22-2013 23:11:05 | More by erialbill

Kuaff

Alaska

4.21/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass slightly warmer that fridge temperature.

Upon being poured, Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale develops a wonderfully long-lasting, two-finger head of dense, white foam. The liquid is transparent gold.

The smell is pretty subdued, but I get a sweet biscuit scent and maybe a slight hint of citrus.

This beer’s taste is remarkably well-balanced and packs a lot of flavor for its style. More than anything else, I taste sweet, bready yeastiness, but it also has some pine and citrus, and a subtle, hoppy bitterness.

The mouthfeel is crisp and smooth, yet substantial.

This is what plain old beer ought to taste like. Really high-quality plain old beer, that is.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 22:08:15 | More by Kuaff

woostergooner

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-22-2013 21:31:04 | More by woostergooner

EduardoOrtega01

Panama

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%

05-22-2013 21:09:34 | More by EduardoOrtega01

Rdc67

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -20.1%

05-22-2013 20:36:46 | More by Rdc67

billbeers

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -26.3%

05-22-2013 17:34:43 | More by billbeers

bf7

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -26.3%

05-22-2013 17:15:59 | More by bf7

YamagamiTravis

Japan

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-22-2013 08:13:44 | More by YamagamiTravis

BillyLrsn

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

05-21-2013 23:36:30 | More by BillyLrsn

pin

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -14%

05-21-2013 22:39:16 | More by pin

verge

California

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-21-2013 18:13:15 | More by verge

cfaulman

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-21-2013 15:06:21 | More by cfaulman

cfitterer

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

05-21-2013 02:49:13 | More by cfitterer

Kingcurio

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-21-2013 01:53:12 | More by Kingcurio

Lucoli

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-21-2013 01:21:40 | More by Lucoli