After nearly 40 years, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company beers are as fresh as ever.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company continues to remind beer drinkers that it’s not resting on its laurels. The pioneering craft brewery established in 1979 could hang up its spurs based on the significance and popularity of the flagship Pale Ale or winter seasonal Celebration. But, no, owner Ken Grossman and crew have too much to tinker with and room to grow. The original California-based brewery now has a North Carolina outpost. It’s also releasing new beers, like Hazy Little Thing IPA, which we cracked open along with two other Sierra Nevada brews
Sidecar Orange IPA
Sierra Nevada Sidecar Orange IPA gets a citric boost from orange peel added in fermentation. The zest adds citrus flavor and aroma to the piney and spicy hoppiness of this well-balanced IPA without going so over the top with the fruit that it tastes like a brass monkey. It’s available in six-packs or in the Party Pack along with the classic Pale Ale, the light and thirst-quenching Mexican lager-style Sierraveza, and the crisp, clean Kölsch.
Summerfest
Summerfest is lawnmower beer. By that we mean the lager is a refreshing, light-bodied reward after completion of yard work or any outdoor household chore. Better yet, it’s the beer you’ll want while flipping burgers and hot dogs on the backyard grill. Easy on the hops without amping up the malts, Summerfest is a well-balanced, crisp seasonal offering.
Hazy Little Thing IPA
2018 is the year of the cloudy, easy-drinking New England IPA as craft beer’s newest darling. Kind of. This year, the Brewers Association added Hazy or Juicy IPA to its beer style guidelines, making what is otherwise known as New England IPA an official beer category. Craft breweries from the Eastern Seaboard to Northern California have since released their own takes on the style, including Hazy Little Thing from Sierra Nevada. It’s an effervescent beer that, although it’s a fine example of the new category—and enjoyably drinkable—it’s not as compelling as the intense, piney American IPA style (aka the beer that won the West). For that, perhaps it's best to reach for a Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA or Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter IPA. Or maybe go bright with Sidecar Orange IPA. Us, we’re eagerly awaiting 2018 Hoptimum Triple IPA.
For more on Sierra Nevada beer and where to find it, visit the brewery’s website.
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