Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Pros: Strong, extra- hopped ale
Cons: None, although some find find the taste overwhelming

Winter seasonal beers are often a treat for the senses, with many of them featuring spicy additions like cinnamon, nutmeg, and other flavors that help to get one warmed up and in the mood for the holiday season. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has its own...

Pros: Widely available, very hoppy, firm maly body, absolutely delicious beer
Cons: None come to mind

It’s getting pretty bad when I can’t remember the beers I have reviewed here on this noble experiment we call Epinions, but such is the truth. I thought I had reviewed Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale under the title Something to Celebrate, ...

Pros: heavy hop flavor, just the right amount of fruit and spice.
Cons: heavy hop flavor may be overpowering for some.

My latest Christmas review comes in the form of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.  Located in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the most popular craft breweries currently operating in the United States.  In my estimation, only ...

Pros: As much balance as an IPA can stand...
Cons: Seasonal only -- get it NOW...

The best thing about the Christmas season being over and done with is that I know I won't have to listen to any more chants of "Deck the Halls" or "Twelve Days of Christmas". What's up with that song anyway? Lords a leapin'? Maids a milkin'? Screw that ...

Pros: Direct flavor of the Celebration Ale
Cons: Might be too heavy for some

Sierra Nevada is one of the top microbreweries in the United States and has been at the forefront of producing great beer for years. During the Holiday season, some great warmers can be found, whether it is the Paper City Brewery's "Wee Heavy" or Sam...

Pros: Big hoppy beer that will make you a hit with the ladies
Cons: Doesn't last long, in stores or storage

If you like hops, chances are you've drunk an awful lot of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. This hoppy seasonal ale from the brewers responsible for a wide range of classic beers (Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, Bigfoot Barleywine) is a classic, waited-for ...

Pros: Can you say IPA
Cons: not really an winter beer

I remember five years ago when I went to New York City on December 30 to see a band called Phish play at Madison Square Garden. My friends and I had a couple hours to kill before our train when the show was over. We decided to head down to Greenwich...

Pros: Hugely hoppy, big and robust
Cons: Only available during winter

Well, it is finally official; I am a certified, card-carrying member of the Beer Snobs club. Although obviously I have a passion for high-end, well-made beers, I hadn’t really considered myself a beer snob until two nights ago, when a friend called me...

Pros: Great mix of hops and citrus
Cons: May be too hoppy for some

Having spent over 2 years living in California, it is only in the past few months that I have come to recognize the quality of Sierra Nevada’s ales. I tried the pale ale when I first moved here, but was not a big fan due to the carbonation, and...

Pros: Excellent example of India Pale Ale
Cons: Seasonal brew

I usually review a beer after having just one. Not so with the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. It took the entire six pack over the span of one week to appreciate this fine specimen. Here I must pause and make an observation. I learned something...

Pros: delicious palate of hop bitterness, malt sweetness and berry-like aftertaste; smooth
Cons: Might be a bit too dry and hoppy for the average drinker.

When beer geeks think of winter and/or Christmas beers we tend to associate the season with very spicy dark lagers and ale, but Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is a beer that completely disavows itself from that notion. This is an outstanding beer with a ...

Pros: Truly Great Winter Ale
Cons: Addictive

If the first sip doesn't put a smile on your face, give up. You're the Grinch. Climb back up your mountain with your annoying dog.

Starting with the stunningly complex hopping--notes of grapefruit remind you that winter doesn't last...

Pros: Wondrous hoppy beer.
Cons: Only available for a few weeks a year.

I do so love the winter season - not for the weather (I do not ski, I hate to drive in snow and ice, I like to be warm...), but for the beer. Every year I look forward to the release of all the various breweries' winter warmers, holiday ales, seasonal...

Pros: A great beer with a sweet/malty/dry finish. Has a very flavorful taste, a real winner
Cons: none

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...

Pros: Sierra Nevada at their best
Cons: Only a seasonal beer

There are few seasonal beers which I wait with great anticipation, this is one of them. I must say I am just slightly disappointed in this years rendition of SN Celebration Ale. The body of this beer is slightly less than the 1999 version, but make no...

Pros: Very Tasty
Cons: Expensive $$$

My wonderful girlfriend is a big Sierra Nevada beer drinker and she was the one who introduced me to this product. One day she said she saw it in the store and figured she would give it a try.

When I first tried it I was hesitant because I...

Pros: Overwhelming hop character (if you're a big hop fan)
Cons: Overwhelming hop character (if you're NOT a big hop fan)

This seasonal specialty, only available around Christmas, is one of the most distinctive beers around. It's essentially an IPA (India Pale Ale) style beer, although brewed with American hops (mainly Cascades) for their distinctively citrus-like, almost...

Pros: Perhaps the high alcohol content
Cons: Rather $$$

When my friend and I decided to buy some beer for Super Bowl XXXV we wanted a variety of good stuff, and along with various other beers we picked up some Celebration Ale. Let me say that my buddy really likes Pale Ales, and to be quite honest I have not...

Pros: Another addition to a great line-up of beers...nice change of pace
Cons: If you enjoy this type of beer, none!

Sierra Nevada is one consistent brewery so this year's Celebration Ale came as no surprise. But let's clear one thing up...you've GOT to like this type of strong aled brew. This one isn't bitter, but rather the opposite, almost sweet; and so, it may...

Pros: Rich, Flavorful
Cons: Only Seasonal

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale the best brew of the season.
I have been drinking beer for over 30 years now and brewing beer for almost 10 of those years. I can assure you that this beer is one of the best examples of the holiday brewing style (in...

Pros: Flavorful, strong, rich, and hoppy
Cons: Not for Joe sixpack

Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is one of the things that mark the start of winter. This hop dominated beer still has a good caramel malt backing. It is full of flavor; and it's citrus like aroma begs you to drink more.

Every year I buy a...

Pros: Same smooth, unmistakable taste of the pale with an extra kick.
Cons: The price? But you won't mind when you taste this masterpiece.

The best seasonal beer I have ever sampled, hands down. Taste is on par with the pale...but kicks it up a notch! This beer is an absolute fantastic experience for the conissuer of premium, full-bodied domestic brews. Sierra has always put out the finest line of beer on the west coast, from the pale to stout, wheat, and porter, this one is no different. I had the pleasure of trying this year's seasonal edition at my local pub last, and I was not disappointed. Though the flavor is similar to the pale, it has a little something extra that sets it apart. Admittedly, I was already a good 5 or 6 beers into my evening, but this one stood out for a reason I can't exactly put my finger on. If you can find this one on the shelf, or at the bar, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. It might be a bit pricy, (though a rare find) but if the saying of "you get what you pay for" means anything to you - don't worry - you will..