Celebration Ale: Celebrate, It's that good!
Written: Aug 23 '00 (Updated Feb 05 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A great beer with a sweet/malty/dry finish. Has a very flavorful taste, a real winner
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: Must have winter seasonal. A clear winner. An exceptional brew every year.
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| MiDoyle's Full Review: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale |
Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is a beer I first discovered on trip to my sister in California back in 1996. I had never had it before so I was interested to try it when my brother-in-law mentioned it's new. I liked it so much we went to Chico to see the Brewery and get some more!
Now I Have to Have It
It's not Thanksgiving unless I can find this beer when the fall colors turn yellow and leaves are falling. It's a fabulous beer. I had made the mistake of assuming that it is a version of their equally fabulous Pale Ale, but somewhat sweeter with a hint of spice.
Legendary Beer authority, Michael Jackson, in his new book Great Beer Guide [Dorling Kindersley, 2000] classifies Celebration Ale as a Ale/IPA and mentions that it is "broadly in the IPA style." He also states that the alcohol content can vary from year to year.
Sierra Nevada's web site (www.sierranevada.com) gives the following info on their product:
Alcohol Content: 6.8 % by volume Finishing Hops: Cascade Dry Hops: Centennial & Cascade Malts: Two-row Barley Malt, Caramel Malt, Dextrin Malt
Yeast: Top Fermenting Ale Yeast Bittering Hops: Chinook
Some compare the taste to Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barleywine Ale as well since the Celebration Ale does have a malt presence similar to that. The hop balance is there too and this is a very drinkable beer, even a session beer.
When poured, this ale fills the glass with a good head of fresh lace. The taste sensation is immediate. Celebration Ale fills the mouth with a wonderful marriage of flavors: hint of sweet fruitiness, mixed with malt and ale finish, with the ever present drier sensation of the hops.
It's just an almost perfect beer. I absolutely have to have this beer every Fall/Winter.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
MiDoyle
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Member: Michael Doyle
Location: Morris County, NJ
Reviews written: 529
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About Me:
Schadenfreude is worth living for.
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