Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale

12 oz bottle

I found this around Christmastime and just got around to opening it about two weeks ago. It wasn’t bad though I’m not likely to pick up any of the 2008 vintage later this year. If you are a fan of solidly done IPAs give it a shot. If you only prefer the best then save your money; this one is not going to rock your world.

Aroma / Appearance - A one finger stark white head contrasted against the clear transparent body underneath. The bronzed liquid swirled easily around my pint glass. The grassy nose was not as aggressive as some IPAs but still effective at conveying the intent of the beer within. Orange peels were about the only distinctive aroma.

Flavor / Palate - Steeped tea fills the mouth with a slight bitterness. Orange sherbet blended with pepper and rye transition in before the typically semidry finish. This does not stand out from other IPAs but at the same time harbors no major flaws. For the price it was what I expected ($1.50).

2007 vintage; courtesy of Per Forsgren - clear and bright amber colour, rocky pale beige foam and a nice lacing; subtle flowery hoppy notes with some red fruits hidden below; low carbonation, a very velvety mouthfeel, medium-bodied and a fair bitterness which lasts long in a plain hoppy and flowery finish

12oz, 2007. Pours a golden yellow color with a somewhat thick white head that fades quickly and leaves a good bit of lace on the glass. Smells pretty damn hoppy for such a low alcohol brew. Quite a bit of hop spiciness in the taste. A little grassy but more sweet than usual. Palate is somewhat thin but with good carbonation. Very good brew, but I’d rather have their Harvest Ale.

400ml. Guest ale on tap at Bishops Arms, Linköping. Dark amber body with a lasting, medium white hue. Prominent smell of floral hops. Tangy hops up front on a dusty malty backbone. Solid bitter notes in the ending. Soft texture. A good version of my favourite type of beer (26.01.2008).

Very clear dark copper/bronze with a medium light white head. Medium strength citrus/pine hop nose with a little toffee underneath. Starts with a malty caramel base then medium-strength notes of pine, grapefruit and citrus. Pretty well-balanced. Medium bodied, with a smooth texture and moderate carbonation. A well-made beer, but uninspired.

On tap at The Red in Santa Cruz. Pours a dark amber color with a tan head. An odd color for an IPA, especially a SN IPA which I would have expected to be a hop-dominated beer with little malt. I’m not really getting too much out of the aroma. A little caramel and a little citrus. Taste starts out pleasant. The caramel malt is actually at the fore, and is backed up by some Cascade hop flavor. The hops should be the main flavor in an IPA and this was the other way around. As the liquid dwindled towards the bottom of the glass, I noticed an unappealing sourish note and that the malt and hop flavors were becoming watery and boring. The mouthfeel here was characterized by an almost fizzy carbonation that I didn’t like at all. It was as though someone took a beer and added a half ounce of spritzer water. When I got through with this beer I absolutely did not want any more. Yet another disappointment from SN.

Clear and golden. Has a lasting head, off-white. Clearly hoppy aroma, citrus. spicy. Flavor starts bitter, finish heavy bitter. A bit astringent.

Bottle. Golden orange/amber color with an off-white head. Aroma: American hops, citrus, pine, caramel and apricot. Flavor: Hoppy with notes of citrus, pine, apricot, caramel, some sourness. Dry finish.