BREWERY: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
STYLE: APA
ABV: 5.6%
PURCHASE: Case of 24 12-oz. bottles, $38.23
SERVING: 12-oz. bottle, poured into pint glass. A standard pour yielded an initial head of a little over two inches, a slower one about an inch and a half. Decent retention.
APPEARANCE: Beautiful caramel color, and a tad hazy; transparent but borders upon translucence. Off-white, slightly cream-tinted head. Light bubbling. Splotchy lacing.
BOUQUET: Hops--the Cascade variety--are clearly the frontrunner. The citrus and floral notes they bring with them round out things quite nicely with the malt and caramel notes. A bit grapefruity in the nose as well.
PALATE: Moderate in terms of both body and carbonation. Hops again are center stage, but they are tempered by a good deal of malt. Citrus notes are significant in the front and mid-palate, but things get yeastier at the finish. Traces of caramel seem to emerge at that point as well. Aftertaste is sweet, a little toasty, and tea-like. Flavorful taste profile and well-balanced. The brewers wisely didn't overcomplicate things.
MUSINGS AND METAPHORS: One of the best "everyday" microbrews you will find. Not the very best of its style, but a great entry point. IPAs still too hoppy for you? Start with this instead.
Arguably still a gold standard among American pale ales 35 years after its creation.
GRADE: A-
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| A cascade hop yard. |
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