Sierra Nevada Best Bitter Ale

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Bitter
Chico, California USA

Sampled on hand pull at the Map Room in Chicago. Pours a light golden color with moderate head which settles in a few minutes. Slight hop aroma with caramel malt. Hop bitterness is assertive, but not overpowering for this light bodied beer. It’s a bit thin, but a great session beer.

Pours a transparent amber copper with an off white head. Decent lacing. A bit hazy and noticeably carbonation Nice blended sweet malt and mild hop aroma. The hop bitter is pleasantly lip smacking as opposed to being overly piney or grassy. A mild floral (and slightly citrus) character, blends gently into honey and caramelized sweet malts. The malt base seems a bit thin through the center.it is a pleasant taste. It is not as gentle and is a bit more invasive on the palate than some. It would work on certain palates but contradict others. Very smooth, a bit thin at spots but overall medium body and refreshingly crisp.

This beer sits a beautiful, full, clear, copper color in my pint glass, it is topped by a finger thick pale tan colored head. Ah the aroma is magnificent; a mix of bergamot, peach, apricot and a bit of an underlying herbal character (all of which is from the hops of course). The taste is pretty dry and quaffable, yet it has a biting bitterness in the finish which is in line with, or perhaps a bit dominating of, the quaffable malt character. With the dry finish the fruity hop notes in the nose are down played to allow the herbal hop notes to dominate in the flavor. I get notes of fresh cut herbs, and some slight menthol in this beer that is served a bit too cold.

The malt character is subsidiary to the hops, it is here but plays second fiddle / supporting role. I get hints of caramel, toasted malt, biscuits and a dry grain character. This beer hits the light, easy drinking character of a traditional best bitter, though it is perhaps a bit too hoppy and bitter (which of course I enjoy quite a bit).

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Tap at Horsebrass in PDX. Bright, clear, medium amber in color with a smallish whtie head that last for a moderate amount of time. Decent lacing left. Floral hop aroma with a decent malt background. Light bodied. Fair lightly roasted malt in flavor with a fairly sharp hop bitterness that comes as a bit of a suprise. Decent.

(Draft: Sierra Nevada 2005 Beer Festival at Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena, CA) My fourth beer of this festival, and like the others, this is a beautiful looking beer. The tall, off-white head is creamy and somewhat frothy, and it takes several minutes to settle to a thin layer, but unfortunately, it does fade to a small ring in the end. Lacing is amazing too, with a crocheted afghan coating on the glass. The body is crystal clear and amber in color. Lightly malty, dusty, citrusy, and slightly stinky nose is okay, but not especially aromatic and not all that enticing. Pale, light maltiness, minimally sweet, gently bitter and citrusy, but very well balanced and not Americanized with sugary maltiness. As I take more and more sips, the hops slowly builds so that just a general, but not over the top bitterness sits on the palate. I’d like perhaps a bit of nutty character to this beer, but it’s still decent enough. Just not a style I get into that much.

Had on tap at the Restaurant/Taproom in Chico. Pours a light copper with a crisp white thick head, decent lacing. Fresh, wort-like aroma, very clean. Falvor has a bit of underlying citrusiness with a slight malty back end. Good subtle bitterness. Mouthfeel very clean. Good session material.

Tap @ Red’s. Generous foamy//fluffy head, offwhite. Body is clear, honey colored. Head leaves lovely sheets and rings of lace initially, although the beer stops lacing altogether and the head becomes a thin ring. Aroma is musky (smells like a SN), sweat, caramel, dough and some wheaty characteristics. Earthy. Mouth is light body with SOFT carbonation and lots of it, lightly watery finish that dries out nicely. Flavor is musky, sweat, leather, wood and with a lightly bitter, lightly sour finish. Sour is citrus and rising dough. Flavors were weak (hard to discern as they were like weak tea...can’t taste much) non-descript...couldn’t tell much more than "well, it’s a bitter, but it’s not bitter." Least bitter SN I’ve had. Mouth is the highlight. Overall a let down and rather unimpressive.

On tap at Papago: Copper colored body with decent white head. Aroma is the name of the beer, bitter. Flavor went from mild bitterness at start bitterness got stoner as you drink the beer. Last swig beer was warm and had a sourness to it. Decent beer on a hot day.