30th Anniversary - Grand Cru - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.71/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5

Winding down an awesome beer tasting night (corked bottles only) and thought I'd crack open another corker.

Appearance - cloudy, bubbly reddish amber. A finger of manila foam on top like melted ice cream. Nice lacing.

Aroma - sticky sweet orange and pineapple, bready malts creep in a bit after setup.

Taste - dark fruit and toasted bread open up the beer. Pineapple and mango at first, giving way to moderate bittering. A great toasty, coffee-like flavor flavor kicks in at the swallow and hangs around through the afterttaste. Oak on the aftertaste and into the finish, what a fun ride this beer is! Ends with dry lingering bitterness, oak, and toasted grain.

Mouthfeel - moderate carbonation and weight. Feels crisp without being too heavy for a strong ale.

Overall - wish I had bought a few more of these. Outstanding. Here's to the BCBT group, good beers tonight, guys.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 02:59:32 | More by brewdlyhooked13

superspak

Michigan

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

750 ml bottle into snifter, bottled on 10/8/2010. Pours extremely hazy deep ruby red color with a nice 1-2 finger dense cream colored head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big orange, grapefruit, orange rind, pear, apple, caramel, pine, toast, toffee, brown sugar, floral, oak, light bourbon, and floral earthiness. Fantastic aromas with big balance and complexity of hop, malt, and oak notes. Taste of big orange, grapefruit, orange rind, caramel, pine, toast, toffee, floral, oak, brown sugar, brown bread, light bourbon, and floral hop earthiness. Light pine and citrus bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, caramel, pine, toast, toffee, brown bread, floral, oak, brown sugar, and floral earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic balance and complexity of hop and malt flavors; with a great subtle oak presence and moderate bitterness balancing the malt sweetness; and zero cloying sweetness present on the finish. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a creamy, slick, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish; very smooth to sip on. Overall this is an absolutely incredible American strong blended ale! Huge complexity and balance of hop and malt notes; and extremely smooth to sip on. An extremely awesome offering, top notch stuff as expected.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 04:32:13 | More by superspak

MarkyMOD

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Was completely oxidized, was really looking forward to popping this one, but it was the most disappointing beer I've had. Bought six months ago from a shop with all refrigeration, then cellared at 55 degrees. Almost feel bad about reviewing this after seeing reviewers who loved it two years later, but the rating I'm giving this beer is generous, saw many others pour this out after passing it around. This is my first full review, had been planning to start reviewing for awhile, but I think the disappoint drove me to finally do it, at least something good came from this beer.
P.S. Was told it was amazing fresh, but that same person thought it lost a lot two months later.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 04:55:17 | More by MarkyMOD

kaseydad

California

4.41/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wasn't sure how this was gonna keep after a long rest in the cellar. Cellared since the release.

NIce pop goes the cork. Pours a MASSIVE frothy beige head that does not want to go away. Major lacing. Nice clear dark amber colored ale. Just geat!

Getting a lot of the essential Celebration and Bigfoot whiffs. Oak. Sweet candy scent. Hops. Pine. Honey. Brown sugar.

The taste is outta site. A hyrbrid Celebration and Bigfoot taste come through. Not getting much of the Pale Ale which is fine with me. Liking this combo. Hoppy taste with a refreshing bitter, mouthwatering finish. Everything is still here. Getting a big grapefruit rind taste on the aftertaste. Not picking up bourbon flavors though it says 22% aged in bourbon barrels. Could be just blended really well. The dry hop technique is nicely noted.

Mouthfeel is good. Still has great carbonation.

Overall I am happy to report this is doing amazing. If you want to wait and properly cellar it, continue. This is turning into something special. Sadly this is my last of this part of the series but it went out with a bang. This combo of beers worked brilliantly and kudos to the brewmaster. And even kudos to moi for letting this lie as long as I did.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 01:36:26 | More by kaseydad

JayQue

Virginia

3.94/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Let this one sit for well over a year. Poured from a corked and caged bottle into an AF Academy brandy snifter. Dense amber color with a good size off white head. Some lacing on the glass. Smell is malty, an oak presence and more than a hint of alcohol.

Taste really features the oak and some whiskey elements. The malt presence dominates, sweet caramel malts. There is some hoppiness at the end but I would imagine that a lot of the hoppiness died out over the last year or so.

Mouthfeel is rich with a surprisingly boozy finish considering the aging. The booze makes this a slow sipper but it is not an unpleasant sensation.

Overall, a good winter's evening drink. I am in the process of drinking the whole bottle, but half would have been fine.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 00:48:59 | More by JayQue

guityler83

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A dark copper color with a slight haze to it. off white head with patchy lacing

S: Woody, slightly sour, not much alcohol surprisingly coming from a 9.2% beer. A tiny bit of beady toastyess comes through.

T: Mildly tart with the woodyness coming through in the flavor. Sweet at the end with little to no hop bitterness.

M: Very dry with low carbination

O: I held on to this bomber for about a year to age it and popped the cork on New Years 2013. Writing this review days later my descriptions are a little hazy, but I thought this would be more sour than it was. That being said, the folks that didn't like sours did like it. RECOMENDATION: don't drink this in combination with Mead and Scotch... bad news my friends, bad news

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 18:07:49 | More by guityler83

philbertk

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

"A Collaboration of Pioneering Brewers. 22% Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels, 78% Ale. Blend of Oak Aged Bigfoot, Celebration Ale, and Fresh Pale Ale". Tan orange half inch lacy lasting head. Rich dark amber color.Mellow bourbon oak aromatic complex fruit malt hop aroma front. Surprisingly light medium textured medium sweet somewhat fruity malty Bigfoot dominated body. Medium light fruity sediment. Flavors aged well and mellowed together nicely. Touch of Bourbon heat mixed with lingering sweetness and hop spice in rich complex somewhat overpowering end. Tasty, but too much work to drink. (3.65/5.0)

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 21:55:53 | More by philbertk

chinchill

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle served in a Unibroue snifter. After a solid 'pop' of the champagne cork (showing the 1980-2010 anniv. span), this poured a murky orange-brown with a modest but durable beige head. Served a bit too cold at first, the aroma opened up to a rich, inviting and complex mix after just a little warming. I am not a fan of bourbon but did appreciate the clear impact on the flavor, together with a rather pronounced presence of oak in the finish: Both linger on and on in the aftertaste. In the superb nose [4.75], both the wood and the bourbon residue had a much more subdued influence, letting the malts and hops take the forefront, as well as a nice dark fruit note. The flavor too has a rich base of medium roasted malts and, I think, some dark malt. This provides a solid base, with enough hops to lend a spicy/peppery aspect and to render to overall flavor bitter-sweet.

Near full body. Surprisingly smooth for 9.2% ABV. [4.25]

O: a truly great beer [4.75] ... one of those I wish I had a case [or more] of in my cellar.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 23:49:35 | More by chinchill

ThaApricot

4.28/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Thick amber to brown color with substantial ivory head. Nice head retention through the length of the glass leavy foamy legs.

S-Smells of caramel, toffee, and mild dark fruit. Not much in the way of hop aromatics despite the abundant dry hopping. Slightly "boozy" nose.

T-Much like it smells, amazing malty flavors. Big toffee flavor up front mixed with piney hops despite the lack of them in the smell. Raisiny notes round out the malty sweetness into a bitter then sweet finish that lingers.

M-Nice full bodied mouthfeel without seeming too heavy or resiny. Still very effervescent from carbonation. Has a slight alcohol astringency to it.

O-Very, very nice beer. It mentions being a marriage of a barleywine, ipa, and fresh pale and even after a year maintains the best portions of all of them. Despite not apparent aromatically, the abundant hopping balanced out the heavy, malty wine well even after awhile. Wish I could remeber what it was like on draft and fresh to compare.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 02:28:29 | More by ThaApricot

katan

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml into a pint

A - Pours a dark ruby color, amber, hefty looking body. Strong off white head formation. Well retained.

S - Strong hopping, bitterness profile in the nose. This seems almost barleywine isn, as it has a rather strong maltish profile.

T - Starts off smooth and sweet, malty, caramel, toffee, not much roast. Mid-stream gets more fruity from a hop profile. A sweet flavor abounds throughout this, as I said like a barleywine. Finishes sticky with a hint of alcohol on the nose.

M - Full bodied, moderate carbonation. Thick and creamy, almost could be confused with a nitrogen pour. Alcohol warmth is well hidden.

o/D - A solid american ale, regardless of its classification. Not very distictive overall, just well done in almost every attribute. Alcohol is manageable and not very filling, surprising considering its body.

Only trouble I had was that I broke the cork. That bites.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 20:54:30 | More by katan

MatthewWilde

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sample: 1 bottle 2010

A: Pours a dark brown-orange with a respectable off-white head which evolves into nice lacing, slightly cloudy

S: Elements of citrus, brown sugar, firewood, caramel and cognac are present, moderately fragrant overall

T: Much akin to the nose, quite complex with very apparent notes of oak, strong hop elements, citrus, nice sweetness reminiscent of sugar cane and caramel, flavorful

M: Nice texture on the palate, smooth, incredibly mild alcohol taste (aging has certainly done the bottle well), a bit lingering and slightly drying but not overpowering

O: A complex and flavorful ale, definitely worth a try, could certainly be cellared for a little longer

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 20:23:41 | More by MatthewWilde

Etan

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle, vintage 2010. A blend of oak-aged Bigfoot, Celebration, and Pale Ale (22% bourbon barrel-aged).

A: Pours a murky orange-brown with a nice off-white head. Some lacing with great retention.

S: Thick, sweet old hops, cider, maple, caramel, some vanilla.

T: Hops still dominate the beer but have an aged quality to them. Tea leaves, cider, mango, bitter resin. Caramel and toffee notes from the malt form a base, with the barrel adding a little bit of tannic sweetness. A bit of heat lingers.

M: Relatively thick and chewy with crisp carbonation.

O: A nice blend, still hoppy after 2 years. I'd be curious to see what a higher barrel-aged percentage would do to this beer, but it's certainly good at 22%.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:06:45 | More by Etan

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Deep transparent amber body with a huge frothy sticky off-white head.

S- Huge oaky, malty aroma up front. The oak aged Bigfoot comes through a lot. The hops are still noticeable, but the aging has probably reduced the aroma somewhat. Really nice nose.

T- Really similar to the smell, a nice big malty and oaky taste balanced out by a hop presence. More of a piney hop aroma with almost no citrus present.

M- Nice smooth body with medium carbonation. Very sticky mouthfeel that is better suited to sip.

O- This is a really good beer. Hoping they do something similar again.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 03:03:30 | More by stephenjmoore

azdback

Arizona

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Corked and caged 750ml bottle. Cork broke on the way out and I had to use a corkscrew to finish the job.

Poured into a Stone Imperial glass. A dark amber or ruby color, clear with tons of tiny carbonation bubbles that lead to a very large three finger head that is a light caramel color and creamy and sticky in appearance. Lace is very stick and patchy.

Smell is fantastic. Sweet caramel, vanilla, wood. Some alcohol. Smells a lot like Double Bastard.

Taste is all malt sweet. Hard candy, light caramel, light brown sugar. There is actually still some hop bitter. Just a bit of lacquer alcohol, but not overpowering at all.

Mouth is full, carbonation is medium to spritzy, finish is on the long side and a bit dry.

Overall I waited over a year to finally open this and I didn't wait too long in my opinion. I does get a bit more gritty on the alcohol taste as it warms but a great pick up and a great start to my Labor Day night.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 00:19:20 | More by azdback

chugalug06

Colorado

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

Bang erupts from the bottle with cork is pulled. Off-white, thick, foamy head. Brew is modest blood red with some purple. Lacing is gloppy at best..

Heavy amounts of faded citrus hops. Is it a sugary bomb?

Even with the time on it, Grand Cru is still quite a hoppy brew. Large amounts of pine and grapefruit; your typical west coat IPA. Well (heavy) carbonation, medium body and nicely bitter. A little bit like iced tea.. Zero sugaryness like I kinda expected. Heat is well hidden.

Highly recommended, even at $15. Smooth and refreshing with a nice bite.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 03:15:16 | More by chugalug06

atr2605

New York

4.45/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-pours a nice brown amber with an off white creamy head with great retention
S-caramel, biscuit, oatmeal
T-dry biscuit flavor up front followed by a creamy and rich caramel flavor
M-medium-full bodied
O-A really nice beer that has great balance and flavor and hides the abv pretty well.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 01:12:35 | More by atr2605

elNopalero

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Seems like it’s Sierra Nevada appreciation night for me.

Popped this one open after cellaring it for over two and a half years. For a beer that old this shows a surprising amount of carbonation. I had my doubts as the cork looked tough and dehydrated.

This has an aroma of caramel, lightly toasted coconut, and what I think of as orange marmalade rounding it out. The layers are intriguing and as it warms more peel away.

At first sweetness dominates the flavor, with some slight rough and harsh edges that mellow out as it opens up and warms, becoming more and more delightful with each subsequent sip. The flavor starts off sharply bitter, but becomes sweeter with a bitter finish. I can taste the orange marmalade and coconut, along with some pine. The alcohol isn’t evident, even as it warms.

This was a delightful accompaniment to the rest of my evening.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 08:02:27 | More by elNopalero

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.68/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from 10/2010 notes. Poured into a Nostradamus flute glass. Pours a nice ruby red amber with a moderate head and nice lacing. Hoppy, malty aroma. Mmm. Malt, intense hops, and oak all well integrated. Creamy heavy body. A beautifully made beer that almost defies categories. I really like this. What a great finale for an excellent series.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 03:14:36 | More by LiquidAmber

mltobin

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in New York City.

Appearance is dark brown with a tan head, a thin one at that. The nose has a sweet character, brown sugar, raisins and malts. Sipping on this and I taste caramel, hops, vanilla, more of those malts too. Mouthfeel is medium, leaning towards heavy. It has a nice, rich finish to it. Some of that sweetness and alcohol lingers in the aftertaste. A nice strong ale from Sierra Nevada.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2012 00:16:25 | More by mltobin

mattsander

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep amber. Good clarity with the tiniest bubbles Ive seen in a long time. Big dense head lasts forever, a very beautiful beer.

S: Lots of sweet toffee, spice, rye bread, cocoa, coconut, grilled pineapple. Very malty, very well balanced.

T: The sticky toffee comes in first, then a rich fruity center and a slightly tannic, coffee-infused finish. Awesome beer.

M: A big, malty beer with an appropriately malty body. The barrel character in the blend helps to dry this out and make it deceivingly drinkable.

I don't typically enjoy malt-bomb style beers, but this was delicious. I wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 03:50:02 | More by mattsander

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: It has a nice deep amber color to it. It has a nice thick off-white head that dies down slowly and leaves nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of citrus/mango and pine hops, sweet caramelly malts, spices, some bourbon and some dark fruit (mostly raisins).

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a nice citrus and pine flavor from the hops along with caramelly malts, some spices, bourbon/oak and some raisins and prunes at the end.

Mouthfeel: It has a low carbonation with a nice overall balance, feel and bitterness.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with great flavors and aromas. Glad I got to try this one!

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 20:32:19 | More by SebD

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

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

Poured from tap into 12oz flute at Lazy Boy White Plains, NY.
Pours a wine ruby red/amber brown. Thin white foam head with no lacing. Smell of sweet malts and sweet fruity yeast.
Taste of some roasted fruit yeast, a bit of bitter fruity hops, with a milkey sweet lactic finish. Hints of vanilla and apricot maybe...
ABV is hidden very well, and its super easy to drink. Overall, great cru brew.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2012 20:38:25 | More by DrinkSlurm

WertMaker

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bronze and ruby tones greet you in the glass with a thin white head which dissipates slowly.

Poured into a Reidel Magnum wine goblet, the aromas of toast, currant, leather and oak are present.

On first sip, there is hop bitterness that lingers well beyond the nuances of malts, bourbon and oak with undertones of Barleywine, mixed with a the bright hoppiness the likes of an American Pale Ale. This is not a lawn mower beer, but one to relax with on a cold winter day, taking comfort from the cold in it's depth and bold hoppiness.

Serving temperature of this beer was 48 degrees, but the flavor profile improved during this writing allowing the beer to warm slightly above 55.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 01:36:53 | More by WertMaker

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

25.4oz bottle, 'XXX' strategically placed around the presentation, which I assume represents the 3 mainstay Sierra Nevada brews that make up this joint.

This beer pours a slightly hazy dark bronzed amber hue, with three fingers of puffy, foamy, rocky beige head, which leaves some hanging icicle lace around the glass as it slowly bleeds away.

It smells of boozy raisins, prunes, creamed citrus, caramel, toffee, treacle, anise and musty, dusty, bitter floral hops. The taste is, quite frankly, an eye-opener, to the drying-out stage, because it sure catches one's breath - boozy, almost sour caramel malt, zingy, but not really all that fresh bitter citrus/pine hops, dark fig-like black fruit, some further black licorice, molasses, and more musty, dusty cellar character.

The bubbles are quite deflated, the body a sturdy, winsome medium-heavy weight, and fairly smooth, in light of the surprisingly underachieving Sierra Nevada-class hops. It finishes malty, with too many stripes to detail here, with a feeble hop protest, and general overbearing mustiness.

I can't really explain it, as this offering nails practically all of the expected talking points, but something just seems off about this - and it isn't the hops, for those of you lounging in the peanut gallery - maybe it's the lack of expected bourbon barrel character, or general incohesiveness amongst the strong central players, leaving that musty old ale flavour as the most resounding image to me. A well-intentioned beer, to be sure, but a bit hard to put back in practice.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 10:41:52 | More by biboergosum

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

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

Lots of malts on this one. I feel like I may be drinking it a bit too late in that the first review was a year ago. But there is a spicy tone to it that seems not to have been changed by age. And the chalky malty sweetness that I get from other ales from Sierra seems to be as boisterous as I'd expect from a fresh version. So this seems to be holding up quite well. It isn't really blowing me away or overly impressing me, but it's good.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 06:05:25 | More by RblWthACoz