Celebration
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

LOOK: Reddish-amber, slightly opaque, excellent lacey head retention. Clean and inviting look.
AROMA: malty and bready, but with a tang of piney hops. American IPA vibes.
TASTE: amazingly well-balanced and fresh hoppy profile with just the right amount of malt backbone to round it out. Tiniest note of far-away sweetness in the aftertaste.
MOUTHFEEL: foamy head gives way to moderate body and carbonation.
OVERALL: been a major fan of this seasonal for years, and 2023 doesn’t disappoint. Maybe a little bit less complex overall than last year’s, but still amazing and well worth the traditional 12 pack over Thanksgiving weekend :)

 

 

 

Love this beer and look forward to it every year.

The fresh, hoppy bitterness up front is wonderful (missing in some “new” IPAs). Dry, malty bitter finish. Great balance for a hop-forward beer.

This is an excellent, ultra classic American IPA in the tradition of Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. Cascade hops and caramel malt. Not a hazy modern IPA at all. Solidly bitter with great mouthfeel. Excellent.

A favorite hoppy IPA of mine. It's annual release near me in late October is much watched and waited for by me.

12 ounce can poured into a nonic style pint glass.

Nice clear amber pour with a big fluffy manila head leaving clumps of sticky lace. Robust green and piney hop aroma. Hop forward with a decent malt backbone. Piney and green hop bitterness is aggressive, there is a bit of citrus peel at the finish. Medium-weight body is soft, a touch creamy and a little crisp around the edges with a clean finish. Well done and greater than the sum of it's parts. Classic.

 

 

Always happy to revisit this beer every year.

Look forward to the release of this beer every year for over 2 decades now. A definite classic. True hop flavor without over doing it. Highly recommended

 

What can I say? Pours a bit cloudy but dense tanish head 3 fingers. Smell of fruity presence and pine. It hits hops and malt at once. Carmel and a bit of brown sugar with a touch a toasty bread. I have been drinking it since the 1991 version I believe. A classic to judge all winter IPA brews an American classic don’t pass it by.

 

Every year I look forward to this one coming out, and it never disappoints.

Celebration is about Excellence in choice and addition of hops to maximize flavor, without going completely over the top. The floral complexities are lovely. The malt backbone is ideal.

This beer is what happens when you brew an IPA but you almost get a winter warmer instead. Highly recommend.

 

Reddish color, malty and citrus smell, lingering bitterness in aftertaste but quite drinkable. Overall, an classic IPA but nothing really memorable.

 

The 2023 vintage strikes me first as a little less complex than earlier vintages. It’s a fabulous west coast IPA this year, as every year in the past that I can remember. There appears to be one dominant fresh hop that’s on the bitter side, and especially thirst quenching. There’s a nice malt backbone to the beer.

From a 12 ounce bottle dated October 11, 2023. It drinks fast with an appealing creamy mouthfeel. I loo forward to this beer every year and it never disappoints.