Sierra Nevada India Pale Ale

On tap at Mad Mex in Columbus Ohio - Poured cloudy amber with a short white head that didn’t last very long and laced minimally. Aroma of grapefruit and pine and some caramel malts. Flavor is mostly dominated by grapefruit as well. Some orange there too and some light caramel malts. Very much like the Pale Ale but a touch more on the bitter side. Not bad.

This tasted just like a regular old Sierra Nevada pale ale. Maybe if I had one at the same time as their "IPA" I might be able to tell the difference. Where are the hops? Not impressed.

This was a very good beer, more balanced than Celebration ale, but also more mellow. The color was a cloudy light orange with a thin white head. The flavor of hops was more mellow but present, and the finish was nice. This is a good beer.

This is a nice strong IPA. The hops and the high alcohol content give it a nice, bitter bite, while it manages to remain pretty drinkable. However, compared to other Sierra Nevada brews this beer just didn’t stand out and make a strong impression on me.

Draft at Barley’s Smokehouse: copper color, with an off white head. Terriffic lacing. More of a malty aroma than anything, some hops. Flavor was nice, very drinkable with some caramel malt and a long lasting bitter finish.

12 oz. brown bottle. Screw off cap. No freshness date seen. Poured out a orangish caramel color, with a volumous white head. Thick & sticky, with a tinge of tan in it. Aromas are of mint leaves, malts, some roasted qualities also. Lager yeast & sourdough bread in the aromas as well. Flavors are of minty hops, caramel malts, slight roasted malt in the background. Bready, slightly dry on the palate. Medium mouthfeel, decent body. Finishes kind of rough, with an earthy quality to it.

I had this side by side with the standard SNPA. Copper color with a smallish white head that diminishes to just a ring. Very light caramel aroma with an earthy hop note that you have to work to find. Flavor is moderatly sweet with a tartness like eating a sweet/tart candy. Not much hop in the flavor but there is a lasting bitterness that comes on strong at the finish. The hop differs greatly from the SNPA which has that charecteristic grapefruity flavor and aroma, as a matter of fact this one is very much lacking in hop profile in comparison. There is more body to this one and the lingering bitterness is very noticable. This is a good brew but I preferr the SNPA and the celebration is far superior.

Nice hop bite right up front, with a pleasant earthy flavor beneath it. Medium body, good for an IPA, and the fairly impressive ABV is undetectable. Well balanced, and simply delicious.