Friday, December 25, 2009

178a. Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Just like I’ve been riding Deschutes, Elli’s been riding Sierra Nevada. And let’s be honest—there are far worse things to be riding than Sierra Nevada. The one problem, however, is that Elli took very spotty notes on this beer. In fact, spotty would be kind, as the overall commentary amounted to a couple of comments on the flavor and hoppiness, and that’s about it. I guess this harkens back to some of our previous conversations, where Elli reminded me that “we have to drink a beer for the day, but we don’t have to talk about it.” So since I wasn’t there to harp on her for either talking or not talking, writing down notes or not, she did as she pleased. And, let’s be honest: it was Christmas. I had my family to distract me (which of course means you are all lucky I didn’t write a monograph on Deschutes), while Elli was on the solo tip (although our friends Scott and Heidi had Elli over, so she wasn’t completely abandoned). So I understand. Here’s what we’ve got: Celebration Ale has a darker malt than is usual for Sierra Nevada beers, both in aroma and flavor. There is a slight hop aroma, spicy hop flavor in the middle, and strong bitterness at the finish. Amen to that...

From the Sierra Nevada website: “The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.”

ABV: 6.8%
IBU: 65
OG: 16° P
FG: 4° P
Malts: 2-row Pale & English Caramel
Bittering Hops: Chinook
Finishing Hops: Cascade & Centennial
Dry Hops: Cascade & Centennial

(12/25/2009)

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