Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. I first took bitter nib to paper, (or perhaps I did this strictly electronically, can't remember) in Febraury of 2003, nearly 8 years ago.

Here are those notes:

Color is a dark amber,edging into red, with a huge, handsome, off-white head.

Aroma explodes with hops, calling forth sensations of citrus, grapefruit, orange, peach, lemon, a beautiful, albeit bitter, fruit bouquet.

Texture's tasty, body's light/medium, finish is quite delicious and lasting. Overall, an exceptional overboard IPA.





My tiny complaint, though this is a brew that I sample and enjoy every year, like all beer lovers, is that it's character doesn't offer much than you'd imagine of a super-hoppy IPA. When I think of seasonal wintertime beers, I expect something darker, with extra flavors, suitable to the chilly days we have have to endure. (At least, those of us who have winter...). It's a pity they don't release this year 'round as an IPA, as that's the only staple missing from their portfolio." (I gave it 4.3/5 on BA, 3% above the norm.)

I was still new to finding flavors (peach, really?), but my taste for IPAs had grown so that I was not satisfied with one offered up as a seasonal treat. I've stopped tapping Celebration at the Nile (it's been at least 5 years), mainly because there are so many other beers we can get regularly that surpass in hop attack and flavor, Surly Furious for one. I noticed that this year they are classifying it as a Fresh Hop Ale, perhaps to generate a bit more excitement. It's still great beer, just doesn't get me all a-tingly when it arrives every winter.