Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Draft)

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

Draught at Old Chicago in Colorado Springs. Pours coppery orange with a small frothy off-white head and some spotty lacing. Hoppy aroma (citrus and pine) with yeast (sweat) notes and some caramel malt. Yeast and hop compete for time as to flavor, sweaty and sour yeast with some pine and citrus hops, faint malt notes. Medium bodied and fizzy, refreshing palate.

Sierra Nevada Draught Ale is the draught version of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, the bench mark example of American Pale Ale. This beer is SN’s most popular product, and it has become one of the few craft beers in the United States that has become main stream. Go pretty much anywhere these days, and you will find this beer. This is a wonderful pale ale with excellent pale malt flavors, a very vibrant hop character in both aroma and flavor, and the classic example of this style. American pale ale is know for its signature citric hop character from the use of Cascade hops, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is the standard by which all great American pale ales are judged. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale pours to a beautiful, bright, pale gold color with a nice white head, and a vibrant carbonation. Carbonation is a bit more vibrant in the bottle as it is conditioned with the addition of yeast for a secondary fermentation. The nose is very fragrant with zesty, cirtic/lemony Cascade hop aromas. The palate is very firm with plenty of good biscuity pale malt flavors pair with estery fruity flavors, to balance out the assertive hop character of this beer. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale finishes with a very long, dry, citric hop bitterness that lingers.

A solid beer but nothing spectacular. Copper color with a hoppy, slighly bitter taste. Slightly less acidic than the bottled version.

It does taste different. It think it’s about as good, though it’s a bit lighter and less alcoholic. A little less citrus than bottle, but maybe a better mouthfeel and more aromatic?

This is a great beer although I used to say that I could not drink this beer, now I brink it all the time. Sierra Nevada is my second favorite major brewery next to Samuel Adams.

Draft - poured from pitcher. Medium to large off-white head, copper/dark amber color with strong hoppy aromas, citrus aroma as well. Seemed to be more balanced than other pale ales I’ve had, moderately hoppy in taste with citrus flavors as well. A very good beer.

Draft, of course. Pours a nice amber with a small foamy head. Hoppy aroma, grapefruit, malt. Flavor is the same, but has a tinge of a pleasant bittersweetness in the end. I happen to like this beer on tap better than bottled.

Off the kegerator in my garage. Pours a nice deep orangish amber. Aromas of grapefruit, roast malts, and a hint of fruit. Flavor is nice and hoppy with a spicy finish. Has more hop aroma and bite than the bottle version.