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40th Hoppy Anniversary Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- From:
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
- ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 88
- Avg:
- 3.93 | pDev: 8.14%
- Reviews:
- 264
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 13, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 28, 2019
- Wants:
- 10
- Gots:
- 69
Hop-forward beers weren’t popular when we started brewing in 1980. But we loved them, and we knew that if we were going to open a brewery, we’d better make something distinctive. It’s been 40 years since then, and we’re still brewing what we love. This beer showcases the bold flavors and aromas of a classic West Coast IPA: intense pine and citrus with a deep gold color and slight caramel sweetness. Here’s to following your passion, and to the next 40 years.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Act25:
Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey
3.95/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.95/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Best mass craft, never disappoints and not 40th year or here.
a) Slightly murky nut / amber body sports standard head and lace.
s/t) Just more IPA than their APA: more pine balanced by minor mostly lime citrus and malt sweet. Between Pale and Torpedo.
f) Prickly, pine, lime, and drying, just a few notes more hoppy than their APA. A little thin.
o) All right with me for a mid-pack, solid classic style IPA.
Mar 05, 2020a) Slightly murky nut / amber body sports standard head and lace.
s/t) Just more IPA than their APA: more pine balanced by minor mostly lime citrus and malt sweet. Between Pale and Torpedo.
f) Prickly, pine, lime, and drying, just a few notes more hoppy than their APA. A little thin.
o) All right with me for a mid-pack, solid classic style IPA.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by CHickman from New York
3.83/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours cloudy brown orange color with a lot of sediment floating around in it; the head was 1 finger thick and faded in average time, leaving decent lacing. Smells really sweet like honey drenched malt, caramel, butterscotch, some floral notes and piney hops. Taste is also quite sweet with sweet malt, caramel, orange peel, butterscotch, yeast, peppery spices, piney hops and floral notes. This was an old bottle, so I’m sure it was much better fresh.
Jan 13, 2024Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.5/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle from Boise Co-op. Deep golden body, thick fluffy head. Aroma recalls classic IPA, piney, woody earthy. Taste brings caramel malts along with more of the classic hops. Drying, light bitterness.
Jun 03, 2023Reviewed by MaddDoGG5150 from California
4.13/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearances: Pours a very slightly translucent golden amber color with tiny bit of sediment. Has bright white foam head that retains nicely. Leaves behind some sticky lacing.
Aroma: Dark fruit, sweet malts like a mild molasses, and some earthy tones.
Taste: Malty upfront, an earthy, hoppy, bready balance in the mid. A tiny bit grainy in the background, not enough to be extremely noticeable, but just enough to give off an old school vibe. Finishes with a pleasant bitterness.
Overall: I am surprised with this brew. It is very well balanced, and has a little bit of complexity to it. I would absolutely buy it again.
Feb 07, 2023Aroma: Dark fruit, sweet malts like a mild molasses, and some earthy tones.
Taste: Malty upfront, an earthy, hoppy, bready balance in the mid. A tiny bit grainy in the background, not enough to be extremely noticeable, but just enough to give off an old school vibe. Finishes with a pleasant bitterness.
Overall: I am surprised with this brew. It is very well balanced, and has a little bit of complexity to it. I would absolutely buy it again.
Reviewed by lwillitz from Wisconsin
3.75/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12-oz bottle into Samuel Smith pint glass
A - 3 fingers off-white foam over a cloudy body of deep golden amber; some sediment and high visible carbonation
S - citrus and pine; pretty weak on the nose
T - pine, citrus, honey sweetness, wheat bread
M - slick medium body, medium carbonation
O - a fairly simple west coast IPA
Apr 02, 2022A - 3 fingers off-white foam over a cloudy body of deep golden amber; some sediment and high visible carbonation
S - citrus and pine; pretty weak on the nose
T - pine, citrus, honey sweetness, wheat bread
M - slick medium body, medium carbonation
O - a fairly simple west coast IPA
Reviewed by md3kcn from North Carolina
4.05/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.05/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Purchased as a single bottle from Kroger for $1.69. Poured into a nonic pint glass.
L - Light copper with a slight haze. Foamy cream-colored two-finger head.
S - Honey & pine tar. Slight stone fruit.
T - Pine, honey, grapefruit, and caramel. Starts sweet, but ends on a fairly bitter note. Finishes with a spicy, bready note.
F - Incredibly smooth. Lightly carbonated. Medium-bodied, yet easy to drink. Slick.
O - A dangerously easy IPA. Like a beefier version of their Pale Ale. Definitely worth a try, but not really worth trying again.
May 30, 2021L - Light copper with a slight haze. Foamy cream-colored two-finger head.
S - Honey & pine tar. Slight stone fruit.
T - Pine, honey, grapefruit, and caramel. Starts sweet, but ends on a fairly bitter note. Finishes with a spicy, bready note.
F - Incredibly smooth. Lightly carbonated. Medium-bodied, yet easy to drink. Slick.
O - A dangerously easy IPA. Like a beefier version of their Pale Ale. Definitely worth a try, but not really worth trying again.
Reviewed by Jaasoares from Virginia
3.52/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear dark amber color with minimal white head which ends up being a lacing with a few islands. Hoppy nose with pine. Mild fruit too. Taste is hoppy with resin, pine and grapefruit with a very mild caramel sweetness. Drinkable but not life changing.
May 16, 2021
40th Hoppy Anniversary Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
666 ratings
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