Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Bottle)

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Chico, California USA

12 oz bottle. Why it’s taken me so long to rank this, I don’t know. This has been my favorite session craft beer for about ten years. Faint aromas of grain, pine. The aroma is the only weak point of this beer, actually. It’s not all that aromatic really. Pours light amber with an awesome head, beautiful lacing. Tastes of citrus, piney hops. Full-bodied, creamy, not overly carbonated--just right. I can drink this all night and never tire of it. There’s a reason this was one of the first American craft beers to make a big splash in the world of beer. Before this and a couple others, American beer was considered way below par. This proved to the world that Americans could brew beer as good as the Germans, the Belgians, and the English. A masterpiece of a pale ale that far exceeds any pale ale from the style’s country of origin--England.

Amber-coloured, slightly hazy body, with a nice frothy head. Smells of floral hops, with pine and citrus notes. The taste is fairly hoppy, but not aggressive, with nice fruity notes (orange, lemon, a hint of apple) and some pine-like qualities. You also get a gentle caramel sweetness to balance it off. The finish has some bitterness, but is by no means dry, which enhances drinkability. Lighter mouthfeel to it. Overall, this is a good example of the style. Although it is not the most complex APA, it is one of the most drinker-friendly ones!

Bottle. Pours golden amber with nice frothy head. Nice aroma of hops, quite furtiy with citrus and pine. Also a little malt. Whilst the flavours are all about the hops, they are nicely balanced by some malt sweetness. Mouthfeel is spot. Really really nice beer especially given the trip to Aus. Can only imagine what this is like fresh.

I have intentionally not rated this beer before. This will be my 100th rating and I figured I would use the opportunity to comment on what I feel is a grave injustice. So often these days you hear people disparage SNPA as being boring or not as big as it used to be. I think the problem lies not in this great beer, but in the "Imperialization" of craft brewing. Everything has to be bigger, hoppier, smoked or oaked or many turn their nose up at it. The mentality seems to be if it doesn’t go to eleven it isn’t worth drinking. While this bigger is better philosophy has produced some truly great beers it has also caused some great beers, like this one, to get marginalized. As I am typing this I look below at the top ratings for American Pale Ales and see a list of beers that are really examples of IPAs. How can SNPA not be among the top APAs? It invented the style for crying out loud! OK, rant over, SNPA really is a great beer from the mouthwatering citrus aroma, to the decidedly hoppy, but beautifully balanced flavor, it is a true classic. Could it have more of everything? Of course it could, but then it wouldn’t be an APA

33cl bottle from Alko ( notes, summer 2009). Clear, amber color, with a frothy head. Hoppy, fruity aroma. Flavor is hoppy, citrus fruits, ends quite bitter. Very nice APA. A favourite.

Finally, some really good drinking after too many cheap tasting pale lagers and low alcohol beers. 350ml bottle from Systembolaget in Kiruna, shared with Finn. Bubbly, frothy white hue. Clear amber body. Cloudy with sediments in the last pour. Inviting aroma of floral hops and sappy fruits. Fresh taste profile with lots of succulent citrus fruits and piny hops. Smooth bitter ending. Refreshing and rounded mouthfeel (Skibotn, 31.10.2009).

Flaske 0,350l kjøpt på Systembolaget i Kiruna og delt med Rune på Elsas Skibotn 31 Okt 09. Gylden på farge. Pent kremaktig skum som fester seg til glasset. Nydelig fruktig aroma: Fersken. Vel avrundet smak av citrus & fersken. Fruktig bitter ettersmak som varer lenge. Uklar mot slutten.