Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

dcall384

Indiana

5/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is my go to beer. One of my favorite pale ales. Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Had about two fingers worth on head on it. Has a great hop and floral smell to it. Pours a nice amber color with nice lacing. Taste of hops, citrus, and floral notes. Has a nice dry finish to it. All in all just a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 19:16:20 | More by dcall384

elNopalero

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ah, this is the classic pale ale. What can I add to what’s already been written?

This pours a tan golden color with light foam. Aroma has orange and orange zest in waves atop of it. The flavor is lightly piney and citrusy, and finishes dry. An easy drinker and a delicious one at that.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 07:34:47 | More by elNopalero

denver10

Colorado

3.36/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Pours a golden honey with a white head. Aroma is nice and bready paired with some nice citric and just a touch of some floral. Flavor followed suit, with a moderate bitterness in the finish. A medium body, active. Overall, a solid brew. Not ever a beer I seek, but a beer that is perfectly enjoyable when I do drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 16:54:26 | More by denver10

Zach136

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
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

zachloveshisbeer

4.56/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hot damn, now that's an American pale ale! Thanks to my buddy Colin for presenting this awesome beer on a craft beer tasting night at his house. Normally, we cannot get this beer in Alberta, but due to the fact that Vancouver hosted the Olympics in 2010 and Sierra Nevada was a sponsor of their alpine ski team, he was able to pick up a bottle from a liquor store in BC. It poured a nice ruby with immediate hop aroma, but underlying and very pleasant caramel malt. The lacing could not have been better and it just tasted awesome! I immediately understood why Sierra Nevada is considered one of the world's best beer producers and at the forefront of the craft beer movement. If beers like this could catch on to the mainstream, we would never see Budweiser in another bar, unless it was the original Czech pilsner!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 16:13:32 | More by zachloveshisbeer

spoony

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a 12 oz bottle into a globe.

A-A mildly aggressive pour produced a healthy, two-finger tall head. The foam was slightly yellow-hued, off-white. Funky colored foam...Anyway, the brew was clear and light copper in color.

S-The smell is floral hops up front with a backing of grass, pepper, and hay. I get a little bit more citrus as the brew gets near room temperature.

T-Taste tracks the smell pretty closely with slightly bitter hop flavors (grass, pepper, orange citrus) balancing nicely off a light, bready, malty note. The hops are just pungent enough to keep your palate interested. The hops linger a bit on the finish.

M-Feel is lightly creamy to start out and a touch oily on the back end. I could have used a touch more bight from the carbonation.

O-This is a good bear no matter how many times I try it. The hops are aggressive, but balanced enough to keep this from becoming one-dimensional. In terms of taste per availability unit (if there is such a thing) or taste per dollar, there are not many beers out there that top this one. Faults are minor and include a slightly off appearance and underwhelming mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 04:54:11 | More by spoony

I_Love_Beer

4.4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle in to a wheat beer glass

A: Wonderful deep amber color with about a 2 figure head when poured rather vigorously that lasted reasonably well, nice lacing on the sides of the glass

S: The nose on this beer if fantastic you can smell a slight citrus note, A stronger piney smell comes through

T: The generous amount of hops used in this beer are what gives this beer its unique piney taste and a slightly spicy taste, finishes with a mild bitter flavor from the IBU level, Overall delicious

M: A very smooth medium to light body

O: This is almost always found in my fridge, I have used this beer as one to get none craft drinkers to try. From what I've seen its available in most restaurants, and most bars have it on tap, I also know that if I travel out of state I can find it which I'm always happy about.
I highly recommend this beer!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 01:49:24 | More by I_Love_Beer

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

24 oz. bottle, no bottled on date present, poured into a Boulevard tulip. This beer seems to be pretty well received within the Beer Advocate community, so I am excited to finally be trying it.

A - Pours a nice bright golden amber color with tons of sediment floating around. No real head to speak of. Significant lacing.

S - Malty smelling with a nice hint of citrus from the Cascade hops. The hop smell seems to be slightly faint and far away, though.

T - Very subtle citrus lemon hop bite is wonderful indeed, hits you stronger than expected based on the smell of the beer, so it is surprising. A well-balanced brew, however all the tastes seem to fall just a little bit short of where they are trying to go. I had the New Holland Hopivore APA last night, and I can confidently say that I think it was a more well-balanced beer. But for being such a popular, year-round beer, I can see the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale being very well received.

M - Very clean mouth feel. Low level of carbonation, but feels good. Nice pine resin taste hanging out, but I can definitely see this beer having a slightly more intense hop profile.

Overall, definitely not disappointed, but not terribly impressed, and I do feel that this beer is somewhat over-hyped, but I am still a fan.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale ---3.5/5.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 03:38:32 | More by mfnmbvp

Mojo

Alabama

4.23/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle -> World Market tulip glass

This may be the best non BMC beer that is just about universally available. It pours up a slightly hazy gold with a nice two finger white head, not much retention, and lots of sticky delicate lacing. The nose is mostly pine, resin, and citrus. Taste follows the nose. There is a nice grapefruitiness follwed by a spicy finish. Mouthfeel is nice with a decent amount of carbonation. Love this stuff!!!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 23:31:59 | More by Mojo

Winston_Smith

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
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 +3%
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 -11.3%
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 +7.9%
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 -3.9%
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 -30.3%
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 -7.9%
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 -0.7%
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 +1.7%
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 -1.5%
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 -12.6%
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 +7.1%
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 -2.7%
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 +16.5%
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 -7.6%
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 -3.9%
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