Experimental Hop Session IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

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From:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
4.6%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.54 | pDev: 11.3%
Reviews:
41
Ratings:
104
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 22, 2019
Added:
Jan 27, 2018
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  19
Light and crisp
Light-bodied IPAs are the perfect beers to showcase new and unique hops, and this beer doesn’t shy away from bold hop flavor. This beer features two new hops, 09326 and HBC 520, which add notes of bright lemon, coconut and fresh-cut herbs in this light, snappy session IPA.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by teromous:
Photo of teromous
Reviewed by teromous from Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
From the bottom of the can: "PKGD 010518C15:13"

Appearance: The body is a light gold color with a light bit of haze. There isn't much of a head; it has this short white film that barely covers the surface. Surprisingly the thin layer of what might be considered a head actually has decent retention. It leave some spotty lacing where it manages to meet the edge of the glass.

Aroma: It has an aroma of garlic, onions, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. In short it has a very savory aroma.

Taste: It has a short spark of flavor which tastes like mango. There is a bit of a fresh grain flavor that is a flash in a pan. Most of the flavor pops up within the first few seconds of sipping the beer and then sharply falls off leaving just a bitter feeling mixed with carbonation and the cold temperature of the beer. Bearing in mind this is not a traditional IPA but rather a Session IPA, it feels about average.

Mouthfeel: It has pretty good bitterness which does a good job of making up for the lack of flavor.

Overall: It is a pretty lackluster beer overall. It floats in that realm of "average even for a Session IPA." The beer just leaves you wanting more aroma, more flavor, more everything in general. I would probably drink one at a gathering and then move on to something else.
Mar 10, 2018
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 5 by Kwright from North Carolina

Jan 22, 2019
Photo of Gavilan
Rated by Gavilan from Virginia

3.59/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Another session IPA, not bad but is not a great beer.
Jan 20, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by jtnord from Colorado

Sep 11, 2018
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Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

3.62/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Picked up a single from the Kings Beer & Wine cooler 5-25-18 for $1.89. Canned on 1-30-18, cold stored since purchase.

Beer poured golden orange with a nice soap bubble head that has some serious hang time.

Nose is lemony with some grapefruit.

Taste has some hints of a bready malt backbone that is quickly overwhelmed by lemon tinged hops and grapefruit pith. Finish is very unbalanced beyond what i look for in the style.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and fairly refreshing.

Overall not a bad beer. It is just too unbalanced for my buds.
Aug 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by DerwinWentworth from Utah

Jul 31, 2018
 
Rated: 3.59 by bpkrippner from Missouri

Jul 22, 2018
Photo of Mandpasbury
Reviewed by Mandpasbury from North Carolina

3.56/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I got this in a 12 pack of experimental hop beers from Sierra Nevada. I really liked the Experimental Hop IPA. This Experimental Hop Session IPA is okay. It is not as good as I was expecting it to be. It is a bit lighter on the palate than most Session IPA's and the overall flavor with a bit muted. There is enough hop bitterness and Piney flavor, along with some lemony overtones, to keep me from disliking it, but I really was expecting something closer to the Founder's or Terrapin Session IPA's, somerhing a bit more punchy. Overall, it is something I would drink again but it is certainly not as good as the Founder's or Terrapin Session IPA's.
Jul 19, 2018
Photo of monkist
Reviewed by monkist from Hungary

4.31/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This is the first beer I am having from Sierra's Experimental box. Choose the Session IPA for Sunday night, for a light closer of the week.
Now what we have here might have experimental Oregon hops but I have a feeling Sierra is trying out untrodden recipes or at least these are not their staple beers. This Session too, while looking and smelling like a nice Session, it is a bit less punchy as your every day Session would be. It feels like it is a single hop or it is a bit more watery than it should be. I am fond of Sierra and this beer was also very well made but I feel that it is a far cry from classic Sessions like Founders' All Day. Let's see if Sierra can make a regular out of it!
Jul 15, 2018
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.72/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Appearnce- The beer pours a lightly hazed golden color with a two finger head of white foam. The head fades rather fast but leaves a persistent foam head on the top of the brew that very slowly is lost to leave a good sum of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell - The aroma of the brew is stongest of a bready and cracker smell mixed with some lighter smells of orange citrus and a bit of herb and grass.
Taste- The taste begins with a cracker taste that has a light citrus taste mixed within. As the taste advanses some more grainy flavors as well as some herbal and floral hop come to the tongue. In the end a little bit of dough and a hint of lemon come to the taste and leave one with a somewhat more crisp and light taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel - The body of the beer is very light with a carbonation level that is rather normal. Overall the mix of carbonation and thickness make for an easy drinking brew.
Overall - A rather easy drinking brew with a more bready/cracker taste that has a moderate hop hit. For the lower abv. this is pretty damn good.
Jul 08, 2018
Photo of IronLover
Reviewed by IronLover from Pennsylvania

3.82/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Golden yellow in color with a light haze that slowly clears leaving perfect clarity. Poured with a voluminous, soapy, bright white foam with good retention as the carbonation never stopped racing from the bottom of the glass to the top. Fresh, earthy and over-ripe citrus hop aromas with sweet malty and bready aromas beneath. Medium light bodied with aggressive, yet soft, carbonation with a light creamy smoothness. Minty and herbal hop aromas slowly emerge with light maltiness. Subdued, medium, piney hop bitterness through the middle followed light citrus flavors. Mint and herbal flavors return along with light malt notes toward the end. Finished with earthy and minty hop and malt flavors followed by mellow hop bitterness that slowly fades. Nicely balanced with solid malt character, although light, with pleasant hop character. Hop character is fresh with nice complexity. Hop aroma was similar to sinking your nose into a newly opened hop pellet packet. I’m not a fan of session IPAs and this by far one of the best I’ve had. Light, fresh, tasty, great appearance and easy drinking.
Jul 03, 2018
 
Rated: 3.6 by jak from North Carolina

Jul 03, 2018
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Reviewed by Billolick from New York

3.79/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12 oz can ...pkgd 013018 on the bottom

Lighter near golden pour and lightly hazed. Leaves ample fine and wispy lacing.

A bit of resiny hops on the nose

Light and lime infused, with more hop resins coming to mind. Decent little brew....worth a try, but nothing overly special going on here.
Jul 01, 2018
 
Rated: 3.59 by Matuhg from Michigan

Jun 25, 2018
 
Rated: 3.54 by TXRobbo from Texas

Jun 23, 2018
 
Rated: 3.66 by Beerasaurus from Virginia

Jun 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by petewheeler from Maryland

Jun 11, 2018
Photo of dcall384
Reviewed by dcall384 from Indiana

1.65/5  rDev -53.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
This beer was just not good. It tasted like when you throw up in your mouth. There was just a lot of off flavor in it i didn't care for. i actually poured it out, which is rare for me. I love sierra nevada beer, but this was a miss for me.
Jun 06, 2018
Photo of hreb
Reviewed by hreb from Washington

3.14/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
12 oz can packaged 011018 and served in a can glass. Like the other IPAs in this 12 pack, this is surprisingly hazy for SN, and pale yellow in color, with moderate white foam. Mild aroma -- very mild even -- of fresh cut grass. Sharp carbonation and astringency make for not the most "session" IPA for my palate, but it is quite light bodied and pretty low ABV. I do get a distinct lemon flavor from these hops, perhaps like bitter lemon soda. I think the format of this beer lends itself best to showcasing the subtle complexities of the hops used here. But a. I don't think the lemon flavor is all that, and b. the end result is definitely not what I want out of session IPA. Drinkable, but so far this is definitely the low light of the box.
May 27, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by DigitGrowler from Kentucky

May 23, 2018
Experimental Hop Session IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 104 ratings