Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Draft)

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

On tap @ the Oldsmar Tap House. Pours crystal clear deep gold with copper core and semi firm light tan head. A nice level of lacing was left behind in the glass. Very nice looking beer. The aroma at this somewhat chilled serving temperature is light with mild malts and some equally mild spice to faint grapefruit hops. The taste starts pretty neutral before some mild tart and bitter hops ride the initial wave of carbonation. The spice and grapefruit hop tartness and bitterness grows as the finish approaches. There is a light malty sweetness that hits midway and carries into the finish. It has a mild lingering grapefruit hop bitterness and faint maltiness into the after taste.

Pours a nice copper color with decent creamy head and an abundance of lacing. The aroma is highly hopped, mostly fresh citrus and some evergreen. Complimenting sweet malt as well. Mouthfeel is thick and filling with an unbelievably smooth crisp finish. The flavor is the perfect balance of bittering hops and malts for a pale ale. This is a great standard for the pale ale style and an exceptional example.

Copper color with smaller white head. Citrus hoppy aroma. Flavor is big thick with hops up front. Mellows out towards the back. I don’t think it was the freshest keg, remember it being much more of a hoppier finish in the past. Still one of the best go to ales around.

On tap at Flying Saucer. Has a cloudy amber color with a small white head. The aroma is very hoppy and citrus. The taste is very hoppy with grapefruit. Prefer the bottle over draft.

Another beer that has become so huge all over. This is pretty much the same as the bottled version, but you get a pint.

Copper colored. Little head. Has a bit of a tang to it. Not one I buy regularly, but if there’s only mass-produced beers to choose from, I would order one in a heartbeat. Goes good with pizza.

This is mostly the same, about as uninteresting, as the bottled version. It looks nice with a light copper colour and nice off-white head that lasts and leaves good lacing. The aroma is very weak - faint malty grain hiding under light citrusy, flowery hops. The taste is mostly light flowery-grapefruity hops with the faintest hint of malt until the end when there is a faint toasted grain finish. It is slightly on the bitter side and has little body to go with this. It’s ok, drinkable, and decent with food, but utterly boring. I just don’t get it. It has little more taste than light grapefruity hops.

very nice translucent copper color, very little head, good lacing, medium hop aroma, very, very bitter taste, mouthfeel is a little watery, light, sweet finsh