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

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

barleywinefiend

Washington

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

A: Poured a deep orange color with good carbonation and a nice white head.

S: Nose is floral hops. some oak

T: Big SN Pale Ale influence here. Still trying to find the Bigfoot influence...a little bit of Celebration. I have had aged Bigfoot, Oaked Bigfoot and Bourbon Bigfoot..where is this in the Grand Cru? If it were a blind taste test I would say it is Oak aged Pale Ale blend with Celebration, thats what I would get.

M: Nice, very hoppy, dry hopping is evident, medium bodied despite the booze and blend

D: Good. Great price for the beer indeed but man, I wanted something bigger since it boasted about Bigfoot

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 00:44:32 | More by barleywinefiend

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

(Served in a chalice)
A- This beer pours a slightly dense but clear aged copper body with a strong carbonation of big bubbles. There is a thick yellowish-beige head that sticks to the glass in thick rings and last as a thick meniscus.
S- The nutty sweet caramel malt has some woody aromas to it with a green herbal hop finish that also has some woody qualities.
T- This beer has some very nice barleywine sweetness with caramel, toasted malt and a touch of darker malts in the background and a juicy pungent hop finish with a nice green herbal hop prick that lingers.
M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a soft tight fizz that enhances the hops and a light alcohol heat that cuts some of the malt sweetness.
D- You can taste all three beers separately but they all compliment each other and the big star is the herbal woody hops that stand out. The layer make me want to sip faster and faster to catch all the complexity and this beer is soon gone. This might be a totally different beer with age but it is to good fresh to let it sit.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 03:15:35 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

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

First....Happy F'n anniversary!!

One of the finest breweries on the planet and quite an old friend....large bottle, capped and corked. Pours coppery amber, under a majestic lite tan head, that slowly fades to a thick film and leaves fine scattered lace.

The nose is loaded with citric and resiny hop notes that come through loud and clear even to my challenged sense of smell. Impressive

Super smooth and flavorful brew. Dense hop notes. Luscious malt under carriage. Adds up to a world class ale. No joking around on this one, all the components come together, dry hopping, barrel aging, and blending...well done, thanks for the excellence of your products and here is to another 30 years!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2010 01:21:13 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

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

From 11/27/10 notes. Split a 750ml bottle of this with my brother. Poured into a pint glass.

a - Pours a transparent reddish amber color with two fingers of fluffy off white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of fruity malts, fresh pine hops, caramel malts, and oak.

t - Tastes of hops, caramel malts, oak, pine, fruit, and alcohol. A bit bitter.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

d - A pretty good strong ale but a little all over the place. While good, not my favorite in the 30th Anniversary series. Would try again.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 23:27:38 | More by mdfb79

Zorro

California

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

Clear read colored ale with a tall red colored head.

Smells spicy and hoppy with a little soapy scent. Cedar pine and caramel are the strongest scents. After this warms up more coconut and a little chocolate show up. Finally some clove cinnamon, but very faint.

Starts out neutral to bitter with no aftertaste. Vanilla, butter and woodiness come next. That is pretty much it except for a strong bitterness.

Mouthfeel is good.

OK drinkability but this did not wow me at all, it OK.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 02:58:46 | More by Zorro

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very dark ruby red/chesnut brown color with deep golden orange hues when held to a light source and a frothy, pillowy light yellowish tan head. Excellent retention, only slightly fading into a one finger foam cap that coats the glass with chunks of soapy lacing.

Sweet caramel malt aroma with a bit of earthy pine hops, oak and vanilla. Considering the beers in the blend I was expecting the nose to be much more hoppy. There's also a very slight citrus presence but the malt, oak and vanilla notes dominate. Slightly leathery with lots of caramel and just a touch of the bourbon.

Chewy full body that is pleasantly much more hop forward than the aroma suggests. Very complex with all kinds of intricate flavors bouncing off of each other. Plenty of bitterness up front from the dank earth, piny hops countered by sweet citrus notes and leathery caramel malt flavor. Slightly toasty and nutty with hints of the earthy oak. I'm picking up more sweetnes from the alcohol and vanilla from the bourbon barrel aging. It's strange that I'm picking up more vanilla than bourbon but the liquor is faintly noticeable. This beer is incredibly complex and I'm loving the blend of flavors. The sweetness/maltiness balances it the bitter hops quite nicely making this beer dangerously drinkable There is slight heat and some wamth in the finish but this beer is extremely quaffable. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 04:24:50 | More by corby112

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After such a long wait, finally got to try this at the 30th anniversary party, boy, was it worth it!

Pours a dark orange color, lots of carbonation that does not take away from the beer. Densely packed bubbles in the head. Great retention. Aroma definitely boosed with the dry hopping additions, and I swear I can smell the wood.

You definitely can taste the wood to this one. Must have tamed the Bigfoot a bunch, because it drinks so easily. More citrusy than any of the 3 base versions put into this, great job with the dry hopping once again. More citrus coming out in the mouthfeel, both tangerine and pineapple, the flavors are so much more than the sum of the parts, its an entirely new and yet pleasantly familiar creature.

I'm going to age one, but the dimensions of the dry hopping lead me to believe this one is best now. But who knows. . . we'll see down the road.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2011 23:19:48 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours expect SN copper amber color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is complex, bordering on down right odd. While I get considerable dry citrus, there's also an aroma of milk duds and milk chocolate. The flavor profile really reminds of BigFoot, although once again, in the background I get this vanilla and milk chocolate. Still, this beer is very much dominated by its aggressives hoppy flavor profile, which dries this beer out completely on the long, bitter finish. There is some noticeable sweet malt of course, but it's really pushed to the background by the hoppy bitterness. Mouthfeel is full, with a long, bitter finish in this beer. Drinkability is OK, but you can tell the abv. is up there a bit in this one.

An impressive beer, no doubt, but not something I could drink very often.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2010 22:29:25 | More by johnmichaelsen

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Crystal clear and deep reddish amber in colour. A dense, beige cap formed during the pour and stuck around for a long, long time. Clumpy, sticky lacing. Looks great. Nice aroma, lots of hoppiness, but not harsh or coarse -- citrusy, earthy, grassy, and a bit piney. Notes of caramel, alcohol, vanilla, oak, roasted pineapple, lightly toasted malt. Solid bitterness throughout, a little sharp, with toasty malt and some caramel backing it up. Fruity hop flavours filled things out, along with a bit of wood and alcohol towards the end. A little grain character and tannic dryness in the finish. Lingering bitterness. Medium bodied -- lighter than I expected -- with moderate carbonation. This beer was all about balance to me -- there was a lot going on in the aroma and flavour, but nothing felt out of place or overpowering. The oak aging was restrained as well, which kept it quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 23:58:24 | More by DrJay

plaid75

New York

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

On draft at the Chip Shop, Brooklyn, New York.

Poured a deep amber hue with a half finger foamy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a balmy piney hop coupled with a full caramel malt.

The taste consisted of a full blown hop spice with elements of pone, grapefruit and apricots. There was a robust earhy caramel as well.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style.

Overall a tasty and complex blended ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2011 18:48:32 | More by plaid75

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Transcribed from notes dtd Sa, 13 Nov 2010. TJ's was the place!

"A dry-hopped blend of oak-aged Bigfoot Barleywine, Celebration Ale and fresh Pale Ale." Wow. It had a finger of foamy, deep-tan head when it arrived. Color was a deep copper with NE-quality clarity. Nose had a nose hair-searing heat that should have served as a warning, but I plodded onwards. Mouthfeel was medium with a heat that rivaled Mount Vesuvius. Geez-O, man, but that was hot! I could not taste much else. Finish was gaspy and I knew that this was the end. I could hardly catch my breath after this bad boy. Buy some and age it!

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 22:36:27 | More by woodychandler

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

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

Sierra Nevada's 30th Anniversary Grand Cru is of a brown velvet tone that probably was last popular 30 years ago (if not longer before that). It is truthfully a bit drab although inflames with ruby-amber coals when held against the afternoon sky. Curious that lacing doesn't materialize; it has a head thick as paint that curdles like a sour milk cheese.

The mechanics of this bouquet are about as difficult to work out as string theory physics and are almost equally as bewildering. The sheer quantity of ingredients (malts and hops) that must have been used to ensure a beer that is both this sweet and nectarous *and* this resinous and pithy is damn near unfathomable; how can it be that it's so much of both?

It tastes like they've snapped a giant oak tree in a half, filled its hallowed interior with all sorts of vines, weeds and plant roots, doused them in brown sugar, flambeed it with gin and pine oil and then served it alongside slices of pineapple, grapefruit and lychee fruit. And cheesecake. Although each is so distinguishing, the malts and hops blend so seamlessly that it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. It's like they grew from the same plant.

The mouthfeel can almost become gritty, with citric bitterness levels gradually rising over the palate like canal water over Venice’s St. Mark's square, but then a wholesomely bready, brown sugar-sweet maltiness sweeps in and, along with a few splinters of oak, dries things up very quickly. The aftertaste is so sapped so as to be almost disappointing. But at least the alcohol has been wiped out; the beer's almost as much as a gulper as it is a sipper.

I think it fitting for Sierra Nevada to release as their 30th anniversary "grand cru" an offering so emblematic of the liberally, dually hoppy/malty style of beer that they've pioneered. While it seemed initially quite large and intimidating, the beer ended up drinking with the same casual, unfussy manner as its three component beers and, by extension, every other member of the Sierra Nevada family. This was a very worthy purchase.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 19:54:49 | More by biegaman

Brad007

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a beautiful burgundy color with a two-finger head into my glass. Some lacing is present as well.

Aroma is a decent mix of grassy, floral and slightly citrus hops. It certainly contains characteristics of oak-aged bigfoot, celebration and SNPA.

Taste? A whirlpool of oak, grassy hops, floral hops and bold malt. Very delicious. Alcohol shows in the middle but is not overpowering. In fact, I don't think this ale could get any more balanced than it is.

As for the mouthfeel, there's a good hint of oak followed by a decent amount of hops that linger. Very warming and deceptive!

I couldn't have asked for anything better than this. I'm going to buy another bottle to age, because even if the hops do fade, it has an excellent background just waiting to be exposed through proper aging.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 23:54:59 | More by Brad007

stakem

Pennsylvania

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

Review from notes taken 11/20/10.

Poured from a corked and caged bottle into a snifter, this brew appears a crystal clear amber red color. A creamy yellowish stained head sits atop the brew. Patchy lace clings to the glass. A swirl revives the head that quickly dissolves.

This brew smells of leafy green hops, citrus and pine. A scent of fusel alcohol is evident before the onset of some green yeastiness. As the brew warms, it picks up more of a fruity aspect.

The taste is herbal resinous hops like pine. Alcohol is upfront that fades to hops that last with some spiciness and bitter sharpness. There is a light toasty grain flavor that imparts mild sweetness but overall this is one-sided with the bitterness and alcohol winning the fight.

A medium bodied offering with light carbonation. It is oily and a tad hot. A dryness hits the tongue with the most faint indication of oak aging as the brew warms. For everything that went into the making of this brew the subtle changes make this a hard one to differentiate between a higher octane celebration offering.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 20:45:14 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

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

Pours a finger of beige head. Pretty good retention. Color is a dark copper amber.

Aroma: Floral and pine hops. A lot like celebration. A lot of caramel malts and vanilla with some oak and heat.

Taste: A big amount of hops followed by a big amount of malts as well. Grapefruit citrus, floral and pine hops all up front. Sticky. Caramel sweetness. Vanilla and oak. Again, a little boozey.

Mouthfeel: Bitter than creamy. Medium to full bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Ends sticky.

Overall, I really enjoyed this beer. It had a lot of unique flavors blending together and it worked really well. Solid offering from SN.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 00:37:44 | More by mothman

tavernjef

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cork pops with vigor. Pours a light golden caramel to settle in the goblet a gorgeously deep mahogany glow with a tint to cinnamon. Topped largely with a massively thick beige foam about two fingers high which stands for length. Eventually the crown slowly moves its way into a thick skim always present and tons of lacing caked on all over the glass.

Aroma is mild and semi dry of brittle caramel sweetness edged with airy woody/leafy hops tinted with orange peels. Warmth of ethonallic floralness builds as it sits.

Taste is thankfully bolder then the aroma by a bit with a heavy amber ale tone of crispy wood layered leafy hoppyness pushed with a bit of toasted grains and orangey bitterness. A bit of mapley sweetness and caramel malt perks in the middle keeping a nice center to its overall character. Slightly burnt toasted grains and wood taints the bitterness into a bolder Bigfoot-esque tone as it flirts into the finish with a bit more bite of dark citrus.

Nice, nearly full body with a very well-rounded smoothness all over the place. Puffy, malty, round, with a nice tug of textured hoppy carbonation that keeps a fluffy dryness floating about letting the hops dance about the malt girth with a light stepping stone.

A pretty solid Strong ale that seemingly fits SN quite well and would sit well in the family of SN goodies as the little brother to Bigfoot.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 01:09:03 | More by tavernjef

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.2/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked this one up at the COOP tonight.. Poured into my Old Guardian goblet... nice 2 finger tannish head.... good lacing and retention.. the brew is pretty.. deeeep orange.

The aroma shows everything that is good about SN.. the big hoppiness from Celebration is obvious... CCC hoppiness from the pale I guess is there, but the Bigfoot is the big player here.. caramel malts and a fair amount of toasty essence help balance things out..

Flavor is NOT weighing heavy on the Bigfoot side.. instead, the Celebration seems fresh and punching holes in the perceived maltiness... an interesting oaky quality is definite yet shredded by the C-hops... mid-palate some residual sugars pull bits and pieces of toasty biscuit and the deep oily Cascades are pulling LATE bitterness from the back of my palate.. lingering and definite Cascade.. with warmth, some more woody note emerge, but they still get buried by citrus... oaky... toasty.. cascades... well blended... yummy.

Body is lesser than the Bigfoot by a bit... carbonation is about the same.. resinous and oohh sooo fresh.... love it.

Will this age? At $10, I will certainly find out.... I think this is gonna be amazing after about 6 months.... Not sure after that.

4/4.5/4/4/4.5

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 06:11:21 | More by JohnGalt1

ccrida

Oregon

3.2/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into my Church Brew Works cervoise, Sierra Nevada's 30th Anniversary Grand Cru is auburn with an off-white head leaving scattered lace.

Smell is oxidized malt, some spicy hops, a hint of sawdust. I understand that the bigfoot is 'aged', but I wonder how long - this smells like a 3-5 year old barleywine, malt wise, but with *slightly* brighter hops.

Taste is oaky American barleywine, old enough to be oxidized, but still pretty hot. Has a nice hop presence still, certainly not fresh DIPA territory, but would have been close on fresh release. I dunno, just really not doing a lot for me, lacking elegance, perhaps would age well, but then, what would be the difference from regular bigfoot, just a little wood?

Mouthfeel is very dry and resinous, a bit thick, medium heavy bodied.

Drinkability is okay, this one really didn't do it for me. Perhaps an awkward stage, between stale DIPA and young American barleywine, my biggest concern is the early oxidation gives it an 'aged' taste without the rounded benefits.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 01:20:45 | More by ccrida

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.78/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by drabmuh. Thanks Matt!

A: Hazelnut brown hue with a huge head that leaves a bunch of lacing on the glass.

S: It's hard to pinpoint the style of this beer solely based on the aroma. Scents of oily hops and pine alongside a large toasted malt presence.

T: I like all three beers in this blend much more when served individually. The beer tastes decent enough, but not nearly as delicious as I was hoping / expecting. Subtle notes of oak peek through (Bigfoot) along with some lasting hop bitterness (Celebration Ale). I'm sure that the Sierra Nevada Pale makes a notable contribution to the blend, but as the weakest of the three beers involved, it gets lost in the shuffle.

M: The feel is medium-full bodied with a noticeable alcohol presence and a sticky, resinous finish.

D: A fun experiment, but again, I would prefer to enjoy any of the beers used in this blend by themselves.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2010 16:22:25 | More by Huhzubendah

largadeer

California

3.93/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml corked and caged bottle into a nonic. Crimson-hued and brilliantly clear, topped by a dense meringue head that initially fills the glass before settling to a lasting cap.

The nose is oak heavy, specifically spicy and earthy American oak. The hops seem to highlight these qualities, while also lending a touch of citrus. There's a substantial caramel malt backbone as well. I find the oak somewhat overwhelming, and the nose a bit muted on the whole.

It's great on the palate. Tannic, spicy and earthy, American oak flavors are prominent and blend harmoniously with spicy, zesty and resiny hops. Malt is just as prominent, lending a light caramel sweetness and a touch of toast, though the beer finishes dry, tannic and bitter. Delicious stuff, reminiscent of Oaked Arrogant Bastard to my palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 03:53:49 | More by largadeer

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ontap into pint glass.

Amber in appearance off white head and a whole sheet of lace. Aroma of malt, piney hops and some light oak/woodsy aroma. In the flavor, pine, vague fruit, vanilla, malt toasted note. Brown sugar, some barleywine moments. Super smooth with relatively low carbonation and a mellow bitterness and bite. My favorite of this series and a nice sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2011 23:23:19 | More by Stinkypuss

avalon07

South Carolina

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

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had an amber color and a cloudy consistency. There was a huge amount of foamy, very long-lasting head. Excellent lacing.

S: A sharp, sweet smell of hops, malt, pine, oak, citrus, and caramel. Extremely aromatic.

T: Like the smell, the taste was very complex. Piney hops, grapefruit, caramel, malt, and a nice hint of oak. Sweeter than I would've expected, but incredibly flavorful.

M: A highly carbonated beer with a slick finish. Medium-bodied.

D: A vibrant, complex beer. Drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 13:13:16 | More by avalon07

gford217

Georgia

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

750ml bottle,

Cork pops out with some nice force. Pours a deep, clear copper with an enormous, thick beige head. The retention and lacing is outstanding.

First thing I notice in the ode is the hops, with a slightly herbal, minty character. There is a heft caramel malt presence with some sugar mixed in.

Taste also starts with a hefty citrus and floral hop kick but it's very smooth, not bitter at all. The backbone of caramel malts and sugary fruits is in full force with vanilla hints. The finish is where the hops bring a little more bitterness as well as some spicy oak.

The mouthfeel is surprisingly smooth and with less carbonation than the appearance would suggest. The alcohol heat is present but not overpowering.

Another excellent beer in the reserve series for Sierra Nevada. A hoppy strong ale with some nice barley wine characteristics. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 02:41:25 | More by gford217

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I enjoyed this pint at Shady McGrady's Downtown -served cool on tap. This marks the end of a 30 day period without any alcohol consumption -so sort of a 30 celebration -30th after 30, what a coincidence.

A Deep copper color bordering on rust with translucent clarity and toppped by 1/2 inch of light beige which leaves a thin film on the glass. The bead is miniscule and retention is decent. The smell of fruit permeates the nose w/ a solid piney hop aroma which is augmented by mild citrus notes. There is a slight caramel and alcohol aroma that accompanies the hop presence which is undeniably American. The feel is fruity and very bitter w/ mild sweetness and moderate carbonation w/ light acidity and very mild alcohol effect on the palate.

This ale has an orange rind/bitter citrus/grapefruit-like hop flavor and greets my tastebuds with mild astringency. The light toasted/woody notes from the barrel and malts compliment well. The celebration portion of the blend seems to dominate yet a mild alcohol and sweetness from the bigfoot in the beer comes out more when warmed slightly. The taste of alcohol is mild relatively speaking and the vibrancy of the hops is taking the mainstage w/ a pretty bitter taste and supplemental juicy flavor after the swallow-like 'an amped up Celebration' it has a lot going on w/ pertty interesting balance from smooth caramel malt and west coast hop flavor.

The candied bitter orange rind taste comes to mind halfway in w/ pleasantly semi-dry finish. The beer has high drinkability for me in that regard. The beer doesn't come off as very barleywine-like, more or less 'Celebration on steroids' is what it strikes me as, cliche or not. As it warmed it got tastier and toastier as the carbonation settled slightly and bitterness advances. This has the drinkability score from the hophead's perspective, a big blood orange and ruby red juiciness later in the taste adds dimension. I was very pleased with this blended beer from Sierra Nevada, worth waiting for.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2010 15:14:14 | More by Slatetank