NxS Red IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

7/2/17 bottle @ Asheville home

Consumed June 2, 2017 around the pool.

Red ale pours red, kind of an auburn like appearance. Looks similar to Red Trolley. 1/2" off white head. Aroma was those earthy Patagonia red maltings and Centennial & Chinook hops pushing grapefruit rind and pine. Mosaic just didn't announce itself.

Taste was similar in that the bittering hops stole the show. Mosaic just didn't bring its usual game, heavier malt bill and classic bittering hops seem to have stolen its proverbial tropical thunder. The red malt body didn't have as much heft and stickiness as it often does, so this did have a jazzy crsipness to it that most red ales lack.

This wasn't one of those elite Nugget Nectar, Pataskala, Loakal Red kind of red ales, but it did firmly place itself in the next echelon of hoppy red ales. Came in one of those weird 24 oz size bottles, but since its Sierra Nevada, the price was real nice and easy to make the jump and check it out.

 

 

 

 

 

Had a 750ml bottle I obtained from the brewery in NC. In more detail, the history of this beer is that it was brewed in Chico, with a few cases sent by refrigerated truck to the NC brewery where it was stored in refrigeration until I bought a bottle where it was transported by car about an hour to my home where it immediately was put in the fridge 2 days ago. The difference between what I had, and having it on draft should be so small as to make no difference.

And it was really, really good. At this point, I rate this as the best IPA I've ever had. I haven't been that big of an IPA fan as I find them pointlessly bitter. While this was unmistakably an IPA with a strong hoppy flavor, it had some malty balance to it that greatly improved the flavor profile and gave it some complexity. It seemed to drink stronger than the 6.5 ABV would imply, as well. Certainly better than SN Torpedo and other hop monsters, and even better than Hoptimum, which is much improved with this year's recipe.

A really terrific beer. I'd say "world class", if I liked this sort of beer.

Sierra Nevada 24 oz. bottle poured into a large wine glass. The NxS pours a clear light copper in color and offers a half inch of off white head and warms to show a hint of haze. Spottly lacing throughout. Nose of classic hops from the North with centennial more dominant are present. Mosaic from the South is less of a player but wafts by now and then. After the cap settles the caramel malt backdrop rises to balance things out.

Taste is right up the alley for a 'Red IPA' as is noted on the bottle. Smooth light caramel malts are evident yet subdued. Finish segues to a coarse hop texture though this thins as the beer outgasses allowing the malt character to be more evident though a touch thin at times.

Overall a decent offering with one note: Half way through the bottle it occured to me that I had a Stone Pataskala in the fridge. Almost as far South as Karl Strauss, the Stone pour was identical in color, clarity and lacing, but offered a meatier hop profile on the finish and a slightly better overall experience. Your mileage may vary.