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30th Anniversary - Fritz And Ken's Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- From:
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 9.2%
- Score:
- 94
- Avg:
- 4.24 | pDev: 9.2%
- Reviews:
- 669
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 11, 2024
- Added:
- Mar 13, 2010
- Wants:
- 62
- Gots:
- 188
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by RoyalT:
Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan
4.65/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.65/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Appearance - This is a big black beer with a monster head. The head is raw sugar brown and rises up like a banshee. This really is a sight to behold.
Smell - The roasted coffee and espresso beans are huge here. I'm guessing my neighbors can smell this thing and I have all the windows in my house closed. The raw sugar is there as well but really it's the roasted beans that dominate this nose.
Taste - The espresso is equally large at the taste. Some reviews commented on the harshness of the flavors but I found them very smooth. They are big, but smooth. There are a lot of really good sugary notes to this one that keep the espresso from abusing the palate but those roasty notes are monstrous.
Mouthfeel - This is full-bodied with a stern but soft bitterness from beginning to end and a light carbonation in keeping with the style.
Drinkability - This just got better as the night went on and turned out to be a wonderful way to end a Saturday evening. The flavors are big but compatible, the sensation in the mouth is smooth and huge, and the expert blending makes this a classic example of a successful big beer execution. Avery take note.
Jun 06, 2010Smell - The roasted coffee and espresso beans are huge here. I'm guessing my neighbors can smell this thing and I have all the windows in my house closed. The raw sugar is there as well but really it's the roasted beans that dominate this nose.
Taste - The espresso is equally large at the taste. Some reviews commented on the harshness of the flavors but I found them very smooth. They are big, but smooth. There are a lot of really good sugary notes to this one that keep the espresso from abusing the palate but those roasty notes are monstrous.
Mouthfeel - This is full-bodied with a stern but soft bitterness from beginning to end and a light carbonation in keeping with the style.
Drinkability - This just got better as the night went on and turned out to be a wonderful way to end a Saturday evening. The flavors are big but compatible, the sensation in the mouth is smooth and huge, and the expert blending makes this a classic example of a successful big beer execution. Avery take note.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire
4.05/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.05/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
22oz bottle from 2010.
Pours opaque black with a minimal head, moderate retention and stringy lacing. Bakers chocolate, char, umami in the nose. Full bodied with a tacky, chewy mouthfeel. Dark chocolate with espresso and burnt fudge on the palate. Finishes dry with lingering charred chocolate.
Feb 11, 2024Pours opaque black with a minimal head, moderate retention and stringy lacing. Bakers chocolate, char, umami in the nose. Full bodied with a tacky, chewy mouthfeel. Dark chocolate with espresso and burnt fudge on the palate. Finishes dry with lingering charred chocolate.
Reviewed by tradershmulie from Connecticut
4/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Interesting.
Decent pour. Almost black color, very little head, but what there is does stick around.
No noticeable smell.
Taste a bit thin, but good flavor.
Overall a decent beer, certainly nothing too special.
Mar 23, 2023Decent pour. Almost black color, very little head, but what there is does stick around.
No noticeable smell.
Taste a bit thin, but good flavor.
Overall a decent beer, certainly nothing too special.
Reviewed by BKotch from Texas
4.19/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Not bad for 10 years old. It's definitely lost some, but not all, carbonation. Aroma and flavor are quite impressive. Kinda sorry that this got lost in the back of the cabinet because it was probably a 4.5 at some point, but still, damn good job, SN.
Jul 12, 2020Rated by KingFarm from Maryland
3.63/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
If you still have a bottle cellared, you might consider enjoying now. Would be a shame to miss this gem’s peak...
Jul 22, 2019Reviewed by marchoftheclouds from Illinois
5/5 rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Review 1/22/2019: One of the first beers I bought to cellar. If I knew what I know now over 8 years ago I surely would have bought more than one! It’s everything I love in a great beer. The presentation is beautiful. The cork, label and cage top cap make it look classy.
My buddy from Wisconsin know me: If it smells like coffe and chocolate, you can’t see through it and it’s kind of “chewy” it’s a keeper.
It smells incredible still. It tastes incredible still. If they could make a normal beer this good all the time (store beer, gas station) it would be so incredibly popular.
I only wish I had more.
Jan 23, 2019My buddy from Wisconsin know me: If it smells like coffe and chocolate, you can’t see through it and it’s kind of “chewy” it’s a keeper.
It smells incredible still. It tastes incredible still. If they could make a normal beer this good all the time (store beer, gas station) it would be so incredibly popular.
I only wish I had more.
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas
4/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance; Obsidian in color, with a small, dense tan head, which persists very well. Thick, fine-beaded lacing utterly coats the glass wall in an unbroken sheet.
Aroma: Cold coffee, roasted black malt and bitter cocoa dominate the aroma. There is also a mild note of vinous alcohol, which is rather subtle, considering the rather high ABV of 9.2%. There is also a note of wood, perhaps American oak?
Taste: The taste begins with a surge of roasted malt, bitter cocoa and cold coffee. The roasted malt dominates the taste from start to finish, but the cold coffee and bitter cocoa are solid counterpoints. Mild citric and pine hops provide a counterpoint to the malt. There is a little earthiness in the undercurrent, but quite understated. Finishes with a lingering note of bittersweet chocolate.
Mouth feel: Quite full and very soft, with delicate carbonation.
Drinkability/notes: Truly excellent, even after too many years of proper cellaring. Another example of a beer where I regret the fact that it cannot be had again.
Presentation: Packaged in a standard 750 ml brown glass bomber, with a cork and cage, served in a South American Pilsener-style glass.
Jul 04, 2018Aroma: Cold coffee, roasted black malt and bitter cocoa dominate the aroma. There is also a mild note of vinous alcohol, which is rather subtle, considering the rather high ABV of 9.2%. There is also a note of wood, perhaps American oak?
Taste: The taste begins with a surge of roasted malt, bitter cocoa and cold coffee. The roasted malt dominates the taste from start to finish, but the cold coffee and bitter cocoa are solid counterpoints. Mild citric and pine hops provide a counterpoint to the malt. There is a little earthiness in the undercurrent, but quite understated. Finishes with a lingering note of bittersweet chocolate.
Mouth feel: Quite full and very soft, with delicate carbonation.
Drinkability/notes: Truly excellent, even after too many years of proper cellaring. Another example of a beer where I regret the fact that it cannot be had again.
Presentation: Packaged in a standard 750 ml brown glass bomber, with a cork and cage, served in a South American Pilsener-style glass.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
4.1/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.1/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a middle of the road, average darkness and viscosity kind of stout with 1" cherry cola like appearance head. Aroma was pure roasted barley.
Taste was pretty much an imperialized version of their classic stout. Tons of roast, no adjunct. Hides alcohol well, old school C hops and their requisite bitterness carried with them, but tamed are restrained within all that malt. Its amazing how straight up this is. Not frilled up with anything but the most normal or traditional ingredients for a stout. Filling like a dark bread, but never a chore. Well done.
Jan 15, 2018Taste was pretty much an imperialized version of their classic stout. Tons of roast, no adjunct. Hides alcohol well, old school C hops and their requisite bitterness carried with them, but tamed are restrained within all that malt. Its amazing how straight up this is. Not frilled up with anything but the most normal or traditional ingredients for a stout. Filling like a dark bread, but never a chore. Well done.
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island
3.99/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a 750ml caged & corked bottle into a large snifter glass. Since Sierra Nevada Brewing’s 30th anniversary was in 2010, this beer is about 7-years-old.
A: The beer is a very deep dark brown color with a short light brown head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.
S: The aroma contains chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, molasses and a faint touch of hops.
T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of chocolate, coffee and molasses. Then a hearty roasted malt character comes in. The hops presence is very mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.
M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium-to-heavy body, light carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.
O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, this is a solid stout to drink for a while.
Apr 24, 2017A: The beer is a very deep dark brown color with a short light brown head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.
S: The aroma contains chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, molasses and a faint touch of hops.
T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of chocolate, coffee and molasses. Then a hearty roasted malt character comes in. The hops presence is very mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.
M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium-to-heavy body, light carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.
O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, this is a solid stout to drink for a while.
Reviewed by Drinksonme616 from New Hampshire
4.54/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.54/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
A shared beer. Should have taken more tasting notes. Aged well with little to no oxidation. Smooth and not overly roasted at all. Mellow and delicious with a slightly full mouth feel. Highly enjoyable.
Apr 23, 2017Reviewed by JamesBondGA from Georgia
4.35/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
pours a light chocolate color with a light tan head with a slight lacing. toffee, caramel, molasses, coffee on the nose. Upon tasting, you get a malty taste, then caramel, molasses and coffee. Light carbonation. Wanted more from this brew.
Dec 05, 2016
30th Anniversary - Fritz And Ken's Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
1011 ratings
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