Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Winston_Smith

Kentucky

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

No best-by date on this one.

Appearance: Very attractive copper/gold color with a lingering finger of white head. Head's got good retention and excellent lacing.

Smell: Nice and piney hop smell with hints of citrus.

Taste: This beer makes me happy. Totally awesome layer of piney hops. Basically an extension of the nose. The finish is a mildy dry bitter flavor.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and medium-light bodied. There's a kind of slick pine resin coating as it goes down.

Overall: A great go-to beer that I drink occasionally. It's available everywhere, and I use it to woo BMC drinkers into the craft world sometimes. I haven't found a Sierra Nevada product I wasn't fond of yet, and this is their bread and butter beer. If you have not tried it, get some!

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:46:46 | More by Winston_Smith

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

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

A: poured from a 24 oz bottle into a pint glass, honey amber colored with a large frothy white head that slowly dissipates leaving good lacing, clear with light carbonation bubbles

S: notable hop presence up front, light malt sweetness, light grapefruit peel smell of an IPA

T: flavor is a great balance of crystal malts and hops, not overly strong flavored with a very clean finish, some flavor of pineapple that comes out as the finish sweetens before the final hop dryness kicks in

M: medium bodied with a good mouth coating, good carbonation, nice aftertaste

O: a solid American style pale ale that is widely available, drink on the colder side and this is a wonderfully refreshing beer

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 01:35:21 | More by M_C_Hampton

Giancarlo

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I'm honestly not a fan of pale ales.

I drank this beer straight from the bottle. To me this beer is average tasting. It has a bold piney taste to it with a hint of citrus, mostly grapefruit (Which i'm not a fan of).

To me it is a lighter version of Torpedo Extra IPA which i wasn't a huge fan of either.

Regardless of it all i gave it an above average rating because it was quite enjoyable and goes well with many foods.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 07:50:11 | More by Giancarlo

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served out of a bottle into a pint glass

This beer is a very slightly hazed orange color with a a large off white head. The beer itself is quite hop forward for a pale ale. It has a very light malt character of breaddy notes and sugar. The hops are the main attraction. Fresh citrus fruits, pineapple, mango, oranges. There is also a nice bit of pine, a very sharp and crisp hop character. The amount of hop flavor considering the bitterness is impressive. A medium bodied beer. A world class pale ale. Considering the price and availability of this beer, noting really comes close.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 01:25:17 | More by TwelveOunces

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

chicagoanbeerone

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Smell and taste of water and hops, I like it nice and bitter probley one of the most consistant pale ales around. very good and drinkable even for beginers It is close to a lager with hopier traits A nice beer that is enexpensive and to watch a football game with not so heavy just smooth and good

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 19:12:30 | More by chicagoanbeerone

arfenhouse

California

3.74/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A: Golden amber color. Average head retention and lacing.

S: Floral, citrus, pine, and spicy smell. Some caramel.

T: Taste is mainly grapefruit with spicy hop finish. Decent amount of malt in beginning. Bitterness is manageable.

M: Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Easy to drink.

O: I usually dink more malty beers so I'm not well acquainted with this style yet. Overall tasty and refreshing brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 09:48:53 | More by arfenhouse

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – The beer is served a golden-amber color with a thick one finger white head. The head has a great level of retention, fading slowly over time to give a

Smell – The aroma is light overall. It consists of a light caramel and bready smell mixed with a small amount of citrus.

Taste – The taste begins with a bready taste with a small amount of caramel sweetness upfront. As the taste advances the bready taste remain with the sweetness fading some. While the sweetness lessens, the bitterness increases as some flavors of a citrus grapefruit hop flavor come to the taste. In the end a slightly bitter, but very smooth bready and hop flavor are left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is rather average in terms of creaminess as well as in terms of carbonation. Both suit the style rather appropriately as they make for a very easy drinking brew.

Overall – A tasty and balanced pale ale. A good easy drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2012 23:39:58 | More by Darkmagus82

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

tectactoe

Michigan

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

Pours a brilliant golden color, nearly amber; white head with some heft to it, simmers down quick but lasts in the form of lacing on the glass. Aroma is strong and solid; nice dose of American-style hops, leafy and earthy with a hint of citrus, on top of a huge malt canvas, full of some sweetness and bread-like yeast attributes. The taste is spot on for the style - west coast APA full force, leafy and earthy hop presence, mild bitterness which is both the king of the forefront yet overall mild at the same time. Mild citrus flavor in the form of orange peels and grapefruit - it's there, but not in large amounts. You'd swear the malt is given in nearly equal parts, as it cuts in about halfway through to give a nice sweetness full of rich barley and slightly toasted grains, with a finish that turns to the caramel aftertaste of the malt and the biscuity character of the yeast. Some lasting bitterness resides on the tongue, but it's relatively low and easily accessible, once again - great for this style. Tight, abundant carbonation and a medium body.

This is certainly a "go-to" APA when you're looking for something to sit back, relax, and drink a bunch of. You can certainly toss these back all day - great drinkability, tons of flavor. Also a great beer for introducing people to the world of craft beer, namely hop-forward beers, as it has a large hop presence but is relatively mild and far from overpowering, especially to a new palate. This is APA done simple, and done right.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 12:40:59 | More by tectactoe

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours a bright brown/orange color with a two finger head which settles into lacing which stays on top of the brew and clings to the glass until the end.

The smell is strong with citrus and floral hops. There is also a pine smell.

The taste starts with floral and citrus hops, a bit of mint, moves to sweet malts and carmel then finishes with a pine like taste. Pine hop resin stays on the tounge after swallowing.

The mouthfeel is bready and chewy, hop oils dominate.

This is an average Pale Ale, not bad just average. The mix of flavors that I am used to smelling and tasting with this style are not present. It is a well put together brew but I believe Sierra Nevada could do better.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 18:31:21 | More by microbrewlover

silverking

Florida

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

It pours a hazy orange with decent head and light lacing. The nose carries citrus and resinous pine. It has a medium/light mouthfeel. The palate is first hit by citrus and sweet malt with a slightly bitter finish and that bottle conditioned yeastiness that I have come to love from sierra nevada. As you drink it the flavors develop more and more. It didn't blow me away, but I was far from dissapointed.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 18:26:39 | More by silverking

merc7186

New York

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Warehouse in Hamburg NY, into pint glass.

A: Mildly Hazy Golden Straw, Passes Most Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Floral Hops, Bittering Hops

T: Bittering Hops, Floral Hops

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Good Carbonation, Poor Bittering Hops

Overall, a mediocre pale ale that's on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2012 04:59:20 | More by merc7186

danreitz

4.73/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at Mona's in New York City. Pours golden amber with a floral aroma. The taste is marvelously balanced; there is just enough of that piney, slightly bitter cascade hop flavor is to counter the thick sweetness of the malt. Crisp, slightly citrus aftertaste.

A fantastic beer. Perfect yet unassuming, like a Fender Stratocaster. Refreshing and bold-flavored. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2012 19:35:57 | More by danreitz

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hate to say it, but in 2012 this one-time benchmark brew is uninspiring in comparison with other Californian pale ale offerings...

Pours a bright and clear copper amber, with decent white head and lacing resilience. Mild, malt-forward aroma lacks many of the anticipated "c" hop elements. Flavours are also mild, a well balanced caramelized malt sweetness followed by some citrus notes and an inoffensive bitterness.

Would rate this as a very well brewed "transition beer" that would be suitable for those overwhelmed by other craft APAs.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2012 22:34:48 | More by hopsolutely

tobelerone

New Jersey

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

The iconic west coast pale, still a standard bearer for the style, although not as exciting as it once was. On draft, pours coppery gold, nearly clear, with a sizeable head that has good retention and lacing. Aroma is mostly citrusy hops; mild sweet and grainy malt underneath.

Flavor follows suit; primarily features the citrus hop notes of cascade and other C hop varieties; light caramel malt backbone; feels mild and lightly bitter after all these years of escalating hop bombs. Finish is mostly dry with lightly lingering bitterness in the aftertaste. Flavorful and easy to drink.

Medium body and carbonation; good smoothness in the draft version. An excellent choice on a night trapped in a shit-kickin' BMC bar, thankful for this option. Doesn't fire up the imagination and palate the way it did 20 odd years ago but still a reliable and satisfying drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2012 13:27:10 | More by tobelerone

BigBarley

Texas

4.58/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Beautiful light amber color, yellowish orange in the light. Very little foam, still a beautiful beer overall.

S - Light notes of malt Very strong hop presence, slightly citrus, mostly pine. Smells like a balanced beer to me!

T - Bright hoppy front, slight biscuit malts underneath, all around balanced and sweet. Not overly bitter but maintains it's clean, refreshing hop pallet. Tasty start to finish. Full of flavor without being a sip-only.

M - Light syrup feel, active carbonation, very refreshing. Not thick compared to many pale ales, but still more heft than a lager. Nice and smooth.

O - I will drink this beer every day for the rest of my life. Well, not really, but I now know when I want something that is not too heavy or too punchy with flavor, this beer will do the trick. Very tasty, refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 15:53:08 | More by BigBarley

stxp

New York

3.53/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

appearance: light amber hues, orangy in light, large head, some lacing

smell: cascade, pac-northwest style, floral, slightly fruity, slight toast

taste: pine, very floral, citrus, grapefruit, slightly bitter but balanced, fast, clean, estery

mouthfeel: carbonated, slightly foamy, medium filling, hidden alcohol, hearty

overall: refreshing summer beer, great citrus hops balanced

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 23:54:24 | More by stxp

Vigilante

Nevada

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pub glass.

A: Pours color with two fingers of head which dissipates slowly leaving a good amount of lacing

S: Hops, pale malt, slight aroma of tropical fruit

T: Wonderful taste of pale malt, hops, grapefruit, and citrus. Strong flavor without being extremely bitter. Very complex and well balanced.

M: Amazing strong mouthfeel one would expect from Sierra Nevada.

O: I absolutely live this beer. One of the best pale ales out there. Truly amazing.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2012 02:23:06 | More by Vigilante

vic21234

Illinois

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

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. A gateway craft beer for me that I have yet to review.

A- Pours a lazy light orange color. A heavy two fingers of off-white head fades but still leaves about a half fingers worth along the top of the glass.

S- Smell is rather faint, but of some pine hops. Not much else going on.

T- Starts off malty and finishes with a nice hoppy taste. The hops are piney in nature, as in the smell.

M- Light bodied, highly carbonated, well balanced, and very drinkable. Alcohol is not apparent.

A classic craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 00:00:36 | More by vic21234

SometimesIfart

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a very, very light copper with a one finger bubbly white head. Left slight lacing.

S - Massive pine, hop resin, slight pineapple, weak malt and medium grapefruit.

T - Hop resin, pine, heavy malt, grapefruit, coriander. Pine is definitely dominant.

M - Light carbonation and a light to medium body. Creamy as well.

O - The pine definitely overwhelmed all of the other flavros. But all in all, this was a very solid beer that I would definitely have again.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 04:10:51 | More by SometimesIfart

Fatehunter

Oregon

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

Pint glass. Almost two fingers of head, medium straw colored, clear with lots of bubbles.
Nice smell of pine and lemon,
Great taste with a good malt backbone, pine and citrus bitterness. Moderately bitter and well balanced.
Manages a soften to the texture but still crisp. Moderate carbonation that compliments everything else well.
An outstanding pale ale. In the crowded Pale Ale style, SNPA stands out.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 22:43:56 | More by Fatehunter

JohannBock

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a bottle into a mug:

A: A nice golden straw color, crystal clear, lots of carbonation throughout the entire brew, with 2 fingers of head that forms a nice latticework of lace as you drink it.

S: Hop forward with pine aroma dominating, also strong floral notes with hint of grapefruit in there. Afterwords a cereal grain malt aroma comes through.

T: Hop bite up front with pine and floral notes taking the show. Follows up very balanced with those cereal notes from the nose. Finishes very dry with hop bitterness.

M: Medium mouthfeel. Enough carbonation to wash all the flavors over your palate but not dominate the mouthfeel.

O: It's described as a classic for a reason. Great beer for a ridiculously great price. If you want to start someone into craft this isn't a bad beer to try. Could easily go be in my fridge at all times.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 02:17:21 | More by JohannBock

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

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

An American classic - I can't believe I've waited so long to review this...

A 350ml bottle with a BB of May 2013. Purchased from a supermarket not too long back. This must have been one of the first US craft beers I ever tried - once you've had it there's no going back.

Poured into a straight pint glass. A rich golden-amber hue with fine sediment and medium carbonation. Yields a large head of creamy white foam that lasts for a few minutes before reducing to a patch surface layer. Nice lacing. Aroma of sweet caramel malt with a hoppy character. Notes of grapefruit, citrus and mild pine, along with a touch of grain. Lovely.

Tastes of sweet grainy malt with plenty of hops and a dry bitter finish. Notes of grapefruit, orange peel, citrus, pine, caramel, grain and dry yeast. Quite sweet, with a hint of earthiness in the background. A well-judged bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry and tingly, with a subtle spicy quality. Great body for the style. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of bitter aromatic hops and sweet malt.

Superb - this pale ale well deserves the praise that it receives. Plenty of flavour yet so drinkable. A nice balance between the malt and hops; it errs on the sweet side yet this is offset by bittering hops and fruity/resinous aroma. Hard to fault really - a brilliant beer. Add this to your must-try list.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 00:15:37 | More by jazzyjeff13

JamesMN

Minnesota

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

Appearance: Hazy golden/caramel color with a thin off-white head.

Aroma: Bready malt and a hint of earthy hops.

Taste: I remember drinking this when I first got into craft beer and thinking it was a bitter hop bomb. It's actually a very well balanced Pale Ale. Lots of biscuity malt and some nice earthy and citrus hop flavors. Both malt and hops share the palate and make for a very good APA. Smooth throughout and tasty without being too complex.

Mouthfeel: Smooth with medium body and good effervescence. Above average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: No complaints here. A standard in APAs. Would I drink it again? Most likely, although I rarely seek out APAs.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 04:47:55 | More by JamesMN