Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Huffs

New York

3.86/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a Sam Adams glass, developed a nice off white head which dissipated surprisingly quickly and had only some lacing. Appearance was a light amber with a slight haze. Aroma was light and of malt and grain. Taste had hints of caramel, grain and a sweetness on the finish. Mouthfeel was very full and nice with a clean, slightly sweet aftertaste.

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 22:38:27 | More by Huffs

screamking

Ohio

3.99/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz can poured into snifter.

Appearance-pours a nice apricot color, white foam head that doesn't linger long. 3.75

Aroma-grapefruit right up front, orange, lemon zest, some lite floral notes. 4

Taste-bitter citrus mostly grapefruit, apricot, hint of pine, honey. 4

Feel-leaves mouth feeling bitter, light bodied easy to drink, but overly bitter and dry in my mind. 3.5

Overall-for a beer that everyone can get just about anywhere this is a no brainer. One of the first craft beers I ever had still lives up to what it was 10 years ago. Price is among the cheapest for any craft offering. If you have few options in beer this is the one to get. 4.25

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 20:43:39 | More by screamking

weonfire

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - light golden hue. see thru. 1.5 inches of white head. slowly dissipates. great carbonation continuously rising. I may call this the standard of what an excellent APA should look like.

S - Musty, slight citrus and bitters. lemon, orange.

T - crisp. clean. citrus isn't overpowering. not real bitter. very flavorful. little bit of lemon and grapefruit.

M - Just right. Light & crisp but full. alcohol gives tongue a slight zap on entrance- rest is flavor.

O - Very very good. Sierra Nevada is a staple in the beer world. I believe this was the first APA i ever had. It maintains high status. Whenever unsure - a Sierra Nevada brew will not steer you wrong.

Serving type: can

02-15-2013 02:54:08 | More by weonfire

mattknueven

Indiana

4.41/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've had Sierra Nevada Pale out of the bottle and on draft plenty but from a can and poured into a glass is phenomenal. Even straight from the can is great! Everything about this experience is fantastic, from the lacing on the glass, to the creamier fuller bodied mouthful. This summer I will be drinking plenty of this!

Serving type: can

02-09-2013 06:39:39 | More by mattknueven

Kromes

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass. An orange color with sediment floating in the beer. A thin soapy head on top.

A clean, fruity aroma with some citrus hop in the background.

The taste is way better than the aroma lets on. The taste immediately shows the sweet and fruity esters and complimentary hop. A sweet malt sets the tone and the hop finishes it out. Finishes sweet with a mix of peach and citrus hop that lingers for a few seconds and then fades.

Medium body with light carbonation. Very drinkable.

This beer is what I compare all other pale ales by. A great blend of flavors and qualities makes it one of the best.

Serving type: can

02-08-2013 23:37:48 | More by Kromes

Zach136

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

12 oz can poured into New Belgium globe

A - Light straw body, pale white one finger head that leaves little lacing, moderate carbonation. Some can conditioning remnants at the bottom

S - Mostly floral hops with some orange zest. Not particularly strong.

T - Citrus fruit hop bite, light pine and barley aftertaste.

M - Dry and crisp. Great compliment to most meals.

O - A classic example of an American Pale Ale and my go to "every day drinker" when a 12 pack cost $13. Nothing over the top, but a great beer non the less.

Serving type: can

01-14-2013 01:14:58 | More by Zach136

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can you believe after 1400 beers I haven't had this one yet? Facepalm!

A - A nice hard pour scored me a 1/2 inch of sticky white head. Lacing is pretty nice. Color is a bright orange yellow tint.

S - Nothing offensive good amount of citrus hops twang with a decent pale malt profile.

T - Well I could see why Daisy Cutter is the new edge pale this one is somewhat boring with mild piney hops (they do stick to the palate for quite a bit) then malts.

M - Goes down easy enough. It's more drinkable than Daisy cutter with more ABV. Plus hella cheaper.

Overall I was going to bash the guy below for giving this a lower score but it's kind of true. It's a beginner IPA that plays off like a pale ale. Damn tasty regardless.

Serving type: can

12-17-2012 01:13:38 | More by DrDemento456

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz can poured into a pint glass at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Pale amber color with a 4-finger white bubbly head. Pretty nice retention and some patchy lacing. Clear with a great amount of carbonation bubbles.

S – Bready malt and grapefruit hops. Plain and simple.

T – Starts sweet with grainy and bready malt and shifts to bitter hoppy goodness with mostly grapefruit and some pine notes.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied with good carbonation, a sticky and creamy but somewhat crisp mouthfeel, and a bitter and dry finish. Pine hop bitterness lingers nicely.

O – This is just a great example of the pale ale style. There’s nothing out of the ordinary here but it’s just the perfect balance of malt and hops. The fact that it’s so cheap and widely available definitely adds points. A very tasty and drinkable brew that’s available everywhere.

Serving type: can

12-03-2012 03:36:50 | More by BlackBelt5112203

BenHesk12

California

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wow! Decent beer in a can! Price goes down, value goes up, takes up less space and is lighter to carry. I thought I would hate good beer in a can but since pale ale has always been a "go to" decent beer for any occasion, it's fitting that it's now available in a can. And yes, I'm drinking it straight from the can. There is something about the hole in a can that aerates the beer and gives it a novel texture and taste which I must admit I enjoy. As long as these stay a good bit cheaper than the bottled Pale Ale I think I will buy these many times over. No need reviewing the flavor of one of america's most common "craft" ales.

Serving type: can

10-05-2012 02:03:36 | More by BenHesk12

FlyingBull

California

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had this on tap and in a bottle. Had to get the cans to try them. So, this one is out of a can; and I drank it from the can!

appearance: I don't know - it was in a can! But most of us know what SNPA looks like. If not, check out another review. Or better yet, get some and enjoy!

smell: Wonderful hop and malt aroma. This has a nice malty nose for a plae ale follwed by a nice hop aroma.

taste: Nice sweet malt quickly followed by strong hops leading to a balanced hop bitterness that makes this beer stand out from most pale ales. This one has got some taste!

mouthfeel: Medium body, medium carbonation that is style-appropriate.

overall: To me, this is one of the best American pale ale examples out there. It has a beautiful clear amber apperance, a nice malty hoppy nose, and a wonderful sweet maltly hoppy flavor that is quickly balanced by a wonderful hop bitterness.

comments: I think this is a great American pale ale - one of the best. I first had this back in the early 90's and I'll give credit to it for getting me started and hooked on craft beer.

Serving type: can

09-26-2012 00:14:57 | More by FlyingBull

chugalug06

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Half head, half brew pour. Head is soapy white with green tint. Brew stand golden and nicely clear.

Boring and bready. Nothing exciting. Mild pine resin with a touch of apple fruity-ness.

A very average flavor. Nothing bitter, nothing sweet, or offensive. Carbonation is nice and easy.. no heat.

A great tailgate brew, but an average pale. It's nice, but way over produced, you can't taste any love.

Serving type: can

09-25-2012 03:47:37 | More by chugalug06

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This one completely amazes me - I will be its 2501st reviewer, not having reviewed it previously in any serving style; my mother lives in Chico and I have visited her on a couple of occasions, making my first statement more incredible; and the first person to review it from a CAN was my local CANTrader and fellow CANQuester (TM), tone77! It took me a while to find this in a CAN with Torpedo seemingly more accessible. SMH!

From the CAN: "Purest Inredients"; "Finest Quality"; "CAN Conditioned".

Just the Crack seemed to release a lot of hops aroma into the room. The inverted Glug really made it seem as though I had sprayed hops air freshener and I would be lying if I said that my mouth was not watering. I was looking at a massive two-plus fingers of dense, French Vanilla-colored head with excellent retention when I was done with my pour. Color was a deep amber with NE-quality clarity. Nose was full of pine hops and now I was starting to drool. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, slightly viscous and the hops were soft, not overpowering as in some (many?) AIPAs. The melding of the hops with the malt was very pleasant and caused me to think back to the mid-1980's when I had this for the first time. I remember thinking that it was too bitter, but now it is just what the doctor ordered for this Jonesin' hophead. Finish was semi-dry and both pleasant and refreshing. I am so excited to see it being CANned and I would recommend it for anyone's cooler under any circumstances. Believe the hype!

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 02:30:20 | More by woodychandler

CheezyBlaster

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The perfect American Pale at the perfect price point? Almost, but the price and consistency nail this thing to the wall as the quintessential American Pale. Not to mention, it's probably the beer I've bought the most of in my craft career. Not quite sessionable, on account of the abv, but a great easy drinker.

Takes notes from the original English pale, but quite American with a tad more bright, crisp citrus and a bit more mild toasty grain. I don't think it gets better per dollar in the US.

Serving type: can

08-22-2012 00:58:01 | More by CheezyBlaster

ZethOfTheNorth

Louisiana

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz can from a 12-pack bought for $15.99 at Whole Foods, New Orleans. Poured into a wine glass.

A: Gorgeous frothy head. Dark copper, pretty opaque. Very handsome pale.

S: Obviously a hop-forward APA. Sharp grapefruit, then mellower citrus. Absolutely great for the style.

T: The worst pales are thin, weak, and watery. SNPA is none of those: it's immediately full, with distinguished Cascade hops on the back end. Citrusy, but not "fruity," and certainly not cloying.

M: Maybe slightly more carbed than the average APA. Slippery texture. Lingering hops might be a bit sticky/drying for some.

O: As many have and will continue to write, this is a stone cold classic. It's almost always available (even in the beer black hole that is Louisiana), is always cheap, and despite how many times I've had it, I'm honestly still surprised at how excellent it is. Fantastic flavor, more sessionable than an IPA, appropriate for all seasons. Enhanced overall score for style superiority.

SNPA is the gateway.

Serving type: can

08-21-2012 14:46:58 | More by ZethOfTheNorth

MrHassellYaHurd

Louisiana

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a crystal-clear copper with a thin white head. Great clarity.

There is a citrus fruity aroma, as well as a clean sweet barley malt in the nose. Fairly simple, but perfectly balanced.

The most prominent taste is the sweet grains, followed by the subtly bitter citric hops.

Mouthfeel identical to bottle and draught.

Serving type: can

08-10-2012 23:13:59 | More by MrHassellYaHurd

AriRock

4.48/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have always thought the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was quite good from the bottle, but then I tried it from the can and found the flavor far superior. This is one of the best beers on the market for its price, and it is easy to find. Very hoppy for a pale ale, with grapefruit, lemon, and piney notes and lots of small bubbles. Just enough malt to counter any slight bitterness from the hops, but this is a hop-forward, crisp, refreshing beer.

Serving type: can

08-07-2012 01:36:55 | More by AriRock

mjtiernan

New York

4.48/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz can poured into an oversized tulip

A: Fairly aggressive pour creates a nice fluffy white head. Color of the body is a hazy golden with slight copper hues. Average head retention and spotty lacing.

S: Generous citrus and floral character with hints of pine. Some tangy sweetness is a nice complement.

T: Taste has all the components of the aroma but the sweetness is muted and the hops really explode. The citrus provides a nice bite and then transitions to the floral flavor that I think is the real signature of this classic brew.

M: Body is light to medium. Texture is a little watery but the finish is dry. Carbonation is above average and those scrubbing bubbles do an excellent job of cleansing your palate with all sorts of foods.

O: My gateway craft beer. I’ve been drinking this on and off for about 15 years. A special beer with a classic flavor that is refreshing in the warm weather and satisfies completely.

Serving type: can

06-07-2012 03:36:37 | More by mjtiernan

dogfishandi

New York

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz can, fridge temp, poured into a tulip.

finally! SNPA in cans! the crack and pour yields a very nice bright golden color, fairly good clarity, lots of carbonation bubbles rushing to the top. a big solid 2 fingers worth of head. very good retentive 1/4 inch layer is left the whole rest of the glass. decent lace.

sharp grapefruit citrus, grass, and a bit of grainy, very light caramel malt. maybe a bit more subdued than i usually remember, but im not sure how fresh this is.

grassy, grapefruit citrus, spicey hops, maybe a hint of pine in there. grains and a light caramel malt come in at the end to try and balance and then are washed away by a sharp, prickly bitterness.

clean and simple. love that mouthfeel. crisp, light feel, refreshing, prickly carbonation.

ive prolly drank more SNPA, than any other craft beer. this is and will continue to be my staple session beer, even more so now that it comes in cans.

Serving type: can

06-03-2012 19:04:33 | More by dogfishandi

TheSupremeAJ

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is an excellent example of a pale ale. This is what got me into craft beer. One day (2 years ago) at the distributor I noted that I wanted to try something different, and that I didn't know where to start. The staff recommended a case of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and noted that it was something nearly everybody could enjoy. I completely agree.

A- Light, fluffy, straw. Moderate white head. Visible nucleation of bubbles.

S- Clean, refreshiong, mild fruity hop aroma.

T- Moderate hop strength, balanced with bready pale malts.

M- Medium body. Flavorful and balanced.

I completely love the new can option, and I think they should just eliminate bottles. They are lighter, easier to carry, sunlight resistant, non-breakable, and they fit better in the fridge. They're also more eco-friendly.

Serving type: can

05-21-2012 02:20:32 | More by TheSupremeAJ

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: A vibrant gold with some glints of amber and a glorious white head. Superb lacing and carbonation streaming from the bottom of the sierra nevada tulip pint.

Smell: Fresh grassy, spicy and citrusy hops combined with sweet and bready malt. Some toastiness is noticeable as well, and maybe a little pine.

Taste: Much more piney spicy in the hop arena, but still has a citrusy backbone. The malt is nice and sweet like on the nose, but there is a toasty and slightly lager like character as well. Just supreme balance and freshness, very hard to be satisfied with one sip at a time.

Mouthfeel: Very crisp and smooth, the carbonation really opens the palate for the big flavors that follow.

Overall: This is one of americas great originals, and it is still top class today. As someone that appreciates originality, it is hard not to mention this as one of americas greatest beers. It balances flavor with drinkability like no other beer in the world. It is the quintessential pale ale, a true american brewing achievement.

Serving type: can

05-18-2012 03:25:16 | More by Siriusfisherman

robhbest

Michigan

4.41/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served Multiple times, out of the can, bottle, tap. This time poured from can into tulip.

A: Golden Yellow, 3 finger white head, good retention.

S: Citrus, pine, grass

T: Slight maltiness which is combined well with the citrus and pine flavors, just delightful.

M: Good carbonation, mouthfeel, makes my mouth water.

O: How can you go wrong with SNPA? Its good on a warm summer day, a cold winter night, with steaks, eggs, cereal, mowing the lawn. Right from the can, into a glass, however you drink its one of my go to beers and I always have a few in my fridge.

Serving type: can

05-16-2012 15:03:49 | More by robhbest

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Clear light amber. Pours with a nice carbonation. Head is bubbly, sticky, and loose. Drops to a thin cap and collar in short order. Some lacing. Cap lasts for the duration.

Smell: Biscuit malts and spicy/citrus hops. Almost earthy. Something akin to salt almost. Pith and dry, dusty bread crust. Some sweetness punches through. Raw grain and very floral.

Taste: More of the raw grain. Cracker crumbs and bread crust. Citrus comes through and layers over a slightly spicy, almost herbal base. Earthy at times. Mellow sweetness helps to balance things out. More bread than bread crust, but it's all there. Faint dusting of that same salty thing on the nose. Works well.

Mouthfeel: Creamy with a dry finish. Carbonation is on the higher side of moderate and the body swings the other way. Lighter side of medium. Easily quaffable.

Overall: This is definitely the baseline for the APA style. Nice balance without ever overdoing it. Loses a little in the long run with the drying hop profile, but solid and always worth keeping around.

Serving type: can

05-08-2012 01:19:06 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Beejay

Virginia

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: A medium orange amber in color, with a nice soft white head. Just short of crystal clear.

S: Pine and a touch of grapefruit. There is some light caramel sweetness in the background. There is a touch of earthiness in the finish.

T: The bitterness is immediate right away, solid, but not overpowering. Pine and juniper come out in the flavor right away. Fresh baked bread notes follow, and it finishes with a touch of caramel, and a little herbal bitterness.

M: Medium in body, the carbonation is certainly active, but not overpowering. Crisp and clean on the finish.

O: Overall a really good beer. Clean, crisp, refreshing. Enough hops to keep you interested, but not overly bitter. All around good APA. Extra points for being fairly cheap, and available nearly everywhere.

Serving type: can

05-03-2012 23:46:47 | More by Beejay

B33R501

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

friday night sierra tasting craft beer outlet ne philly, the hop flavor just popped, so i finally sat down and tried this, new cans, just one. easily best in class of the pales ive had.

pretty amber beer, good head, retension, lace. fresh hoppy aroma and taste, nice pale malt background. finish is clean and dry, balanced, refreshing, very smooth and drinkable.

Serving type: can

04-25-2012 12:48:55 | More by B33R501

draheim

Washington

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally getting around to reviewing the beer that represents, to me anyway, the quintessential American craft beer.

12oz can (code 2030711:16) into a tulip. Pours a glowing orange amber w/ a thick fluffy white head, some fine particulates suspended, a fine layer of lace left behind on the glass.

Aroms is pale malt and subtle floral, grassy hops.

Taste is pale biscuity malt, clean crisp water, and grassy floral hops. Everything in balance. A slightly bitter hoppy tang on the finish.

Mouthfeel is clean, balanced, smooth, refreshing.

Overall I could probably just as easily give this all 5s as all 4s, it so perfectly defines the style.

Serving type: can

04-24-2012 05:25:07 | More by draheim