Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Chico, California USA

Overall Impression: I’ve had this beer a few times both on draft and in bottle, I have a glass from getting this at the Capitol Ale House - Downtown Richmond on keep your glass night (sometime maybe about 6 months ago), and I specifically remember enjoying that one quite a bit. That is certainly not the only time I have had it, but based on the fact that I took home a glass, it is the sampling that stands out in my mind. Anyway, a nice beer, pretty balanced (read: less hoppy) then something typically classified as an IPA, but has an enjoyable flavor for sure.

On-Tap @ Bailey’s Taproom poured into Shaker glass. Winter in July. Pours a medium copper that is fairly clear with a dense, creamy off-white head that never fully dissolves and remains a thick layer atop the glass. The nose is biscuit malts, brown sugar, and some hints of hops. The flavor is a little watery upfront with some touches of sweet malt, toast and ends with a hop bitterness that lasts. Its medium bodied and has turned a little chewy. This beer is much better fresh as most of the hops that made this brew so special before have faded. It still drinks alright but is a little watery. I’ll re-rate this again come December when its fresh.

On tap at redlight redlight. Reddish brown color. Very sweet smell. Hops smell much stronger than they taste. They smell very evergreeny. Hops in the flavor are more citrusy than the pine in the smell. Very tasty and malty.

Tap at Redlight. Pours dark gol with a thick white head. Hops powerful and in you face, citrusy and pine. Smooth malt body with lots of hop bite, but nothing getting in the way of being drinkable. Really good classic.

2006, 2007, 2008 Vertical from Bellport Beer. The numbers represent an overall impression of all. 2006- Very good, although if you are a hop head, this is a bit of a soft one. The hop flavor is there, but mellowed. Super malty & flavorful though. I like hoppy & malty, so for me this one was the best. 2007- I remember this one not being so great fresh. Just not a great year. It malted up enough to make me forget why it was so forgettable. Again, nice hop flavor, just no hop punch. 2008- Also good, but I do seem to like the older bottles better. Hops more prominent, pine, citrus & and a nice malty finish.

draft @ redlight redlight for Christmas in July, so the keg is about 6 months old. Smooth citrus hops with sweet bread-like malts, traces of sweet pine as well. Pours golden amber with a thick white head. Smooth malts with still quite a bit of hop character, i can tell the hops of mellowed somewhat but its still got great hop flavor, smooth pine flavors, with traves of caramel, with quite a lot of citrus hops as well. Its held up very nice. Very nice to drink.

Bottle. Been awhile but this was a pretty good winter brew, ipa a nice change from most beer brewed for the winter.

2008 bottle. Pours a dark amber orange with thick off-white head. Aroma mostly of floral hops, slight citrus, lots of malt, and a bit of caramel. First few sips didn’t impress, but the more I drank it, the more I apprecated its complex character. This is not a hop bomb or even a plain IPA. This is a heavy hoppy, malty, beverage with a lot of character. Pretty nice.