Sierra Nevada Brewing Co -- Weizenbock -- Beer Camp

Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp #37 beer, the Weizenbock is a "bock" strength dunkelweizen that was brewed at the Sierra Nevada brewery with the input of the German beercampers.

6.8% ABV

Review:

Appearance: Light copper color with a thick white head

Aroma: Cloves, Bananas, bubblegum, and a light grain husk note. 

Taste: Sweet and then tangy with a sour and clove dominated finish. Though it is not a lager, the alcohol comes through in a way that is reminiscent of the high gravity lagers and malt liquors that come in tall cans and 40's.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel with a creamy texture that fades to a sour/tart/dry finish. 

(Side Note: This beer was brewed with the same yeast as Kellerweiss.)

Overall:

I think that the high gravity of the wort may have stressed this yeast strain and caused the certain malt liquor feel that I am picking up on. In any case, if you like dunkelweizens this beer may be for you. I found it uninspiring. 

Grade: B-

Barrel Man says,

"Entschuldigung, 

Deutschlanders." 

(This Bottle Purchased at Liquor Collection

the only place I've seen them for sale individually and in the 12 pack.)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. -- Summerfest

Sierra Nevada's Summerfest is a bottom fermented beer (a lager) that is brewed every year for the summer months.

Review:
Appearance: Straw in color and very clear. A quarter inch head dissipates down to an eighth of an inch, but stays at this level through the glass.

Aroma: The grain husk smell of pilsner malt is rather apparent in this beer. The slight sulfur note is obvious to me, but may be less obvious to someone who is less sensitive to that characteristic. Hop notes, including lemon peel and fresh cut hay, are also present but are at a very low level.

Taste: This lager starts slightly sweet, but quickly transitions to a tangy orange/lemon peel taste and feel. The finish is tangy and less crisp than I remember from years past.

Mouthfeel: There is  a strong sensation of a pilsner, but without the crisp finish... specifically the feel of pilsner malt husk shines through. The carbonation is medium/high which helps lighten the perceived viscosity.

Finish: In Sierra Nevada style, this beer has a gripping hop bite. It also has an astringency that is not unlike water with a squeeze of lemon in it.

(Side note: Although Sierra Nevada makes a wide variety of Ales, this is one of two seasonal beers that is lagered. The other is the spring release, Glissade.)

Overall: 
I have, of course, tasted this beer in years past. This year the hop presence seems a bit more prominent than previous years. In some ways I like it, but the lingering lemon peel sensation cancels out the crispness that I've come to expect in this beer and this style. Usually this is a B+ beer for me, but this year...

Grade: C+

Barrel Man says,
"I like Bikini Blonde
better."

(This bottle purchased at Foodland Supermarket)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co -- Double IPA -- Beer Camp Beer

Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp Double IPA beer is a hop-forward beer that was both dry hopped and torpedoed with bold American hops. 

8.5% ABV and 84 IBU's

Review:
Appearance: A nice dark gold color that is lightly hazy (a common characteristic in dry hopped beers) and has a  pure white rocky head.
Aroma: Grassy, piny, citrusy, resiny, grapefruit notes.
Taste: Immediate hit of high AA hops. Flavors of lemon, grapefruit, some pine needles are all present. Tastes a little young-- DMS type flavors from the high AA hops haven't cleaned out yet.
Mouthfeel: This is a full bodied beer with medium-high carbonation.
Finish: HOPS!!!

(Side Note: This beer was originally named Ghidorah-- the three headed monster that fought against Godzilla.)

Overall:
I bought this beer the very first time I saw it, and so I know it was fresh. The taste of really hoppy home brews usually takes a month after bottling to meld and mature. This beer tastes like it has been in the bottle for 2.5 - 3 weeks and as such, will probably get better in a week or two. Even so, I'd give this beer to any and all of my hop head friends.  The use of 5 or more hop varieties makes this a hop lover's dream.

Grade: A

 

Barrel Man says,

"enamel eater!"

(This bottle purchased at Liquor Collection)

Sierra Nevada Brewing -- Juniper Black Ale -- Beercamp 16

Sierra Nevada's Juniper Black Ale from Beer Camp 16 was brewed using juniper berries and a complex malt bill complied by Master Brewer Scott Jennings... (and Ramon Gutierrez).

Review:
Aroma: There is a light vegetation note with dark malts, dark unsweetened chocolate, and roasted malts coming through for a complex nose. A hint of smokiness is also present.
Appearance: Juniper Black Ale (JBA) is a very dark beer with coloration from deep dark brown to black. Ruby brown highlights slip through the bottom of the glass. The head is tan colored and somewhat rocky.
Taste: First impressions are dominated by caramel and smoke. Heavy dark chocolate notes and chocolate covered espresso beans reveal themselves as your mouth calibrates. Deeper into my investigation I found touches of herbal, menthol, and pine needle tea flavors.
Mouthfeel: A very nice, and expected, full sensation that finishes fairly dry. This dryness is where the juniper becomes most evident and is very pleasant. For those who have tried Rogue's Juniper Pale ale, this sensation will not be too much of a surprise.

(Side Note: I think that in the original recipe, the Juniper berries were from somewhere in the N.E. United States. I am not sure where SN sourced the Juniper berries for this batch)

Overall:
This is a surprising beer. I have friends that have panned it because the Juniper wasn't present enough for their taste. That's a valid point. However, as a person who has brewed a juniper beer where the juniper was at the forefront, I can say with certainty that the complaints about the lack of juniper in this beer would pale in comparison with those received if this beer were truly juniper-centric. (Although I would like it.) That a brewer was able to put out this beer on his first try speaks to a great level of acumen, competence, and skill.

Grade: A

Barrel Man says,
"Via con dios, Ramon."

(Bottle Purchased at Tamura's)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. -- Ewe - 96 (Schwarzbier)

Ewe - 96 Dark Lager was made at Sierra Nevada's Beercamp #38. 

Because it was "torpedoed" it was supposed to be called U-Boat... 

but then lawyers got involved.

The ABV is 5.4%

Review:

This is the most bad-ass Schwarzbier ever sold by an American Brewery. Quite a claim, huh? Well it is true, and this is why: through the brilliance of Sierra Nevada's Brewmaster Scott Jennings, the malt bill is technically perfect;  through the brilliance of the beer campers, the hop selection and resulting aroma blows the competition away. I mean, the idea to combine a rare, floor malted and kilned basemalt with carafa III-- in perfect harmony-- then send this beautiful beer through Sierra's "torpedo" hopping contraption to get the most hop aroma of any schwarzbier? Righteous. 

Only one problem: I had the only 2 bottles on the island. Boy, were they tasty!

(I know that it's unkind of myself to tease my MILLIONS of followers, but hey, if you can't have fun with your blog, why bother blogging?)

GRADE: A

 

Barrel Man says, 

"Mahalo to Kasim!"

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. -- Torpedo Extra IPA

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.'s Torpedo Extra IPA, is a "big American IPA; bold, assertive, and full of flavor highlighting the complex citrus, pine, and herbal character of whole-cone American hops.."

 7.2% ABV and 65 IBU's

Review:

The aroma of citrusy (cascade-ish and magnum-ish) hops burst out of the bottle neck the instant the crown is pried. After pouring into a pint glass and letting the beer breathe, the malty backbone becomes discernible. Aromas of crystal and pilsner/two-row barley dominate. The color is reddish copper and crystal clear. The rocky and light cream colored head stands about a half inch tall and is slow to dissipate. Concerning mouthfeel, this beer is medium to full bodied and the carbonation level is appropriate. Flavors of citrus, grass, earth, and malt are all present, giving the sensation of a well balanced beer despite the obvious hop-centric branding. 

(Side Note: I am thankful to all of my fellow beer drinkers for rejecting the really lame English style IPA that Sierra Nevada put out a few years ago. Because of our discerning tastes, we now have this delicious year round release to enjoy! Cheers to all of us!)

Overall Impression: 

This is a great IPA. As a reference point, in comparison with Big Swell IPA from Maui Brewing, this beer is more full bodied, earthier, maltier, and has more aroma. That is not to detract from Big Swell-- I love both beers. From now on, it's Big Swell at the beach, and Torpedo at night on the couch. 

Grade: A

Barrel Man Says,

"an oaked version would

be amazing."

(bottle purchased at Liquor Collection)

News: Sierra Nevada Fundraiser

 

Sierra Nevada is running a fundraiser for Earth Day. For every person who goes to the below link, enters their name and email, and makes a personal pledge to get outdoors in the month of April, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will donate 25 dollars to one of four charities.

http://www.sierraunplug.com/

It doesn't cost a thing, and takes only seconds to fill out.

The charities that you can choose from are:

American Solar Energy Society
Engineers without Borders
Rails to Trails
The Wild Salmon Center

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. -- Ovila Dubbel

Sierra Nevada's Ovila Dubbel is a collaboration with The Abby of New Clairvaux, 

in Vina, California-- only 20 miles from SN Brewery. 

A portion of Proceeds go to the restoration of New Clairvaux's medieval Spanish building. 

 7.5% ABV and only bottled in 750 ml. bottles.

Review:

You know, rating Sierra Nevada beers is getting to be a little boring and tedious. Beer after beer are made without flaws in bottling, carbonation, maturation, shipping conditions, recipe formation, or sanitation. There execution is almost flawless! To make things a little more interesting, I wish that I'd get a bad bottle once in a while--not bad beer though! Heaven forbid!-- But maybe just an upside-down label, or a bottle with the wrong cap... just a little something to criticize...

You want to know what this tastes like? Read the BJCP guidelines for the style HERE. The guys at BJCP should adjust the Belgian Dubble category description to say, "tastes like Sierra Nevada Ovila." I mean, take a look... 

Aroma: "Complex, rich malty sweetness; malt may have hints of chocolate, caramel and/or toast"--Check.

Appearance: "Dark amber to copper... reddish depth of color... Large... long-lasting creamy head."--Nailed. 

Flavor: "Rich, complex medium to medium-full malty... palate yet finishes moderately dry."--Yep.

Mouthfeel: "Medium-full body. Medium-high carbonation... Low alcohol warmth."--Ding, ding. 

Overall Impression: "A deep reddish, moderately strong, malty, complex Belgian ale."--Checkmate.

(Side Note: The project that the monks at New Clairvaux are working on is fascinating. Check out websites HERE and HERE to get an idea.)

Overall Impression: 

This is a textbook Belgian Dubbel. If you like Dubbels, go get one and try it! The only way I can criticize this beer is to say that it doesn't have the overwhelming yeasty esters that some people crave (not me, just some people). For those out there who don't know what I am talking about, I'll give this analogy: In the world of orange juice, this beer would be fresh-squeezed OJ. Other Dubbels that people crave would be more akin to Sunny Delight. 

Grade: A

(bottle purchased at The Liquor Collection)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. -- Glissade

 

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.'s "Glissade" is a Golden Bock, "with restrained sweetness... balanced against delicate aromas of spicy and floral European hops." 

The ABV on this is 6.4% and it claims 42 IBU's.

Review:
I could be wrong, but I don't think that "Golden Bock" is a recognized style. Therefore, I am left to assume that this beer would fall under the jurisdiction of a Hellesbock or Maibock category. Both of these categories call for a lighter color and more hoppy profile than your everyday Bock, and they are commonly brewed for the spring time. Glissade seems to fit this mold.
Looking at the above photo, you can see that this beer is a nice orange/gold color with a small head. The flavor starts a bit sweet but quickly sours across the tongue. More correctly stated, it begins malty but finishes hoppy with a grassy/citrus punch. There is a small amount of malt husk character present, but it is not distracting. As far as medium strength lagers go, this is fairly complex... Upon further tastings, there is a certain dry pepper flavor to the hops and some sulfur notes become evident.

(Side Note: Glissade is a term that can be used in three ways. In this instance it is referring to the practice of sliding down a steep snowy mountain either by putting your weight on your heels and alternating your weight back and forth in a sort of improvised "boot-skiing" fashion, or riding on your butt and feet down the mountain. -- I'll bet you're wondering what this has to do with beer, well, read the description at Sierra Nevada to find out.)

Overall Impression:
Last year, before I was blogging, I had this beer and it was different. Reviewing my notes, it had a much larger head and no yeast notes. This year it lacks the same malt presence that I found so magical in 2010. It is still good, but I admit, I am a touch disappointed that the flavor couldn't quite meet the high expectations set last year.

Grade: B

(bottle purchased The Liquor Collection.)

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

Are you ready to rumble? This ale sure is! Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.'s "Hoptimum" is a monster beer made with only whole cone hops-- some of which are experimental, and as yet, unnamed.

 Definitely a Heavyweight contender with a 10.4% ABV 

Ready to smack you in the mouth with an uppercut of 100 IBUs

It is released in limited quantities and is just hitting the market.

Review:
Are you a Hophead? If you said no, or you don't know what that is, than this is not the beer for you. Just move on. Seriously. Go find something else to do.

For the rest of you, well, you will probably like this beer. The aroma is of grapefruit/citrus peels with a slight earthy nose. The earthiness probably is a result of the chinook hops used in the Torpedo and the citrus is certainly from the Citra and Simcoe, but there is another wild card hop in there for dry hopping. The golden orange color has a slight rustiness, but remains  crystal clear and truly beautiful. The head is minimal (not uncommon for a beer of this strength) but long lasting and leaves a nice lace. Taste wise, it is certainly dominated by the hop character. It is citrusy at all levels but I can still taste the Chinook (think SN celebration) which I really enjoy. There is certainly a warming feel as you sip the beer, but for something of this strength, it is very smooth... (and dare I use the "b" word? aaaahh!)...balanced. No, not balanced to where the malt flavors equal the hop flavors-- just balanced enough to say "That's a nice beer!" instead of, "that's a pretty astringent hop tea!"


(Side Note: For the home brewers out there-- check out the malt bill. That is how it is done! American 2-row Pale malts for the base alcohol, Scottish Golden Promise for alcohol and a slight sweetness, Munich for the malty character--balancing the citrus hops-- and wheat to add a touch of mouthfeel/smoothness and adding to the head retention and lacing.)

Overall Impression:
If you read this far, you are a hophead...
You will like this beer.

Grade: A

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods.)

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Mahalo to my Ohana for the new gear!

 Love you guys!

Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall

My fellow O'ahuans-- I have found one of the seven wonders of the island: a grocery store with a great beer selection. That's right-- this place has things in stock other than the standard wall of Bud in 6, 12, 18, 20, and 24 packs. Not only that, but they have prices that are competitive with, and sometimes better than, those other supermarket chains!

(Side note: Their Poke was highly rated in Metromix)

Highlights: Good selection of Rogue beers, Maui Brewing Co.,Mehana, Hawaii Nui,  Mikkeller, BrewDog, Sierra Nevada, Mad River Brewing Co, Anchor, Nogne O beers (including the varieties brewed with sake yeast) Sam Adams Infinium, Ballast Point Victory at Sea and Sculpin IPA.

Missing: Stuff not distributed to Hawaii. That's about it.

Selection: 9/10 (always leave room for improvement--like getting Pliny, for example.)
Location: 7/10
Price: 9/10
Friendliness: 9/10
Beer Knowledge: Troy, their beer purchaser-- 10/10
Over all grade: A

New Rainbow Market

New Rainbow Market

I happened to find this pleasant little store as I explored Palolo Valley.  As the sign says, it “feature[s] ice cold beer!” Indeed, all of their selection is kept in a series of refrigerator units so they are telling the truth. That’s because this is a place to buy beer to drink, not to collect. Although they do stock mostly beers made by the big 3, they do stock some other beers of quality such as Sierra Nevada. If you are in the market for “cheap” beer, beer in 40’s or 24 oz cans, caffeinated malt liquor, or things of this sort, they have you covered there. In short this little spot is stocked as well or better than your local grocery store. Prices are good also… VERY competitive. I will probably purchase my next 6 pack of Torpedo from this location.

(Side note: Can also get plate lunch here!)

Selection: 6.5/10

Location: 7/10

Price: 8.5/10

Friendlyness/beer knowledge: Friendliness 8.5, knowledge unknown.

Overall Grade: B

The Liquor Collection

I thought it only fitting that my first post be about the Liquor Collection. This store, located in the Ward Center shopping mall, has what is probably the best selection of quality beers on the island. They say that they use all of the island's distributers to fill out their selection, and based on what they stock, I believe them. Their stock rotates pretty fast, and seasonals come and go, but even so they maintain around 200 different beers at a time. If you are in Waikiki, Ala Moana, or if there is a beer that you just HAVE to have, this place is worth a stop.

(Side note: I overheard the manager discussing how he was going to save their only case of Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA as gifts for the employees. That's a boss I'd like!)

Highlights: Good selection of Rogue beers, Maui Brewing Co., Mikkeller, BrewDog, Sierra Nevada, and some surprises from Mad River Brewing Co!

Missing: Mehana Brewing Co.

Selection: 9/10 (gotta leave room for improvement!)
Location: 9/10
Price: 7/10
Friendliness / Beer Knowledge: 10/10
Over all grade: A