On tap @ Toronado. Pours medium gold with a slight hint of orange, a 2 finger off white head was present. Nice nose of grapefruit, and sweet malt. Flavor was lightly fruity with some hop presence. Finish was nicely balanced between both malt and hops.....a good one!

Draught at Toronado, Haight St, San Francisco, July 2008. This is a serious improvement over the Sierra Nevada ’IPA.’ Pours amber with a slight cloudiness, small head. Nice carbonation; the head lasts and lasts with great lacing. I smell pine and some citrus. Flavour is full of more pine, then some citrus, lemon, grapefruit with caramel in the malt. Mouthfeel is medium.

Draft at Tylers Durham, mid-July ’08. So this isn’t Celebration. Word. This beer had some strong piney and floral hops throughout but is nicely balanced by a heavy dose of caramel malt. A bit one-dimensional but still refreshing.

Almost a double IPA in its hoppy PNW intensity, with good sweet caramel Sierra Nevada backbone and without the double alcohol of some big bitter beers. Really enjoyable. Unmistakable SN nose, mouth feel, appearance.

I usually don’t like Sierra seasonals, as they tend to taste very similar to their regular Pale Ale (last years Anniversary Ale, for example). This one however was suprisingly good. Rich palate with lots of nice hoppy bitterness. Much more body than I expected. However, the wow factor seemed to dissipate as the pint went on. While I thought it was great on first sip, by the end it was merely good.