Chico IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

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From:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
7.3%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.18 | pDev: 5.5%
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
30
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 17, 2021
Added:
Aug 21, 2008
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  1
"Our answer to the calls for a big "west-coast" style double IPA. This beer is a big hop-hearty bruiser packed with flavor. A deep, tarnished-penny color, Chico IPA is brewed using massive amounts of Simcoe and new experimental varieties of hops. The beer has a full body and flavor from the malt, which balances perfectly against the assertive citrus, pine, and spicy herbal notes in the hops. Chico IPA is dry-hopped during fermentation to harness all the thick resinous aromas and flavors of bold, whole cone American hops."
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Source:
Photo of Source
Reviewed by Source from Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Served ontap in a pint glass.

A: Dark amber with excellent head retention.
S: Faint citrus and hoppitude.
T: Everything an IPA should be. Very well balanced. Citrus, pine, malt mixed to near perfection.
M and D: Smooth and sessionable. Easily my favorite IPA.
Apr 07, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.17 by QuakeAttack from California

Jun 17, 2021
Photo of bret27
Reviewed by bret27 from California

4.31/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Crowler from brewery courtesy of PStone530.
Clear copper. Head fizzles off.
Big fruit flavors and some serious ibu’s to balance it out.
All old school west coast.
Jan 28, 2021
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This one drops with a good amount of dark burnt copper and ruby red in it, almost light brown. Small 1/3" head. Hops are the usual C hops and some Simcoe. Similar to Torpedo too in that there might be some Magnums in here.

The malt seems almost rye like, similar to the spice character I get from those Magnums (which may or not be here, but that is definitely the descriptor I would use). They went all in on the hops and malt, caramel, yet it finishes dry and clean, not heavy, woody or soggy. Good hop bite interplay between grapefruit, pine and a little bit of sweet citrus. Significantly bitter.

Wouldn't mind seeing this one get made again.
Oct 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Nov 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by grahamboudreaux from Tennessee

Mar 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by GClarkage from California

Jul 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jaydoc from Kansas

Jan 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by t0rin0 from California

Jan 20, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by mjweth2 from Kentucky

Jan 28, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by bakeith from Massachusetts

Dec 22, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by KidRagnarok from California

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of plaid75
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On draft at the Blind Tiger, NYC.

Poured a deep copper hue with a two finger frothy white head. There was very good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a resinous citrus hop and light grain.

The taste consisted of a spicy grapefruit and white pepper hop with a grainy caramel maltiness.

The mouthfeel was typical of the style with a nice residual spice.

Overall a complex hop driven ale. On the level with Ruination in my opinion.
Aug 25, 2010
Photo of Beerandraiderfan
Reviewed by Beerandraiderfan from Nevada

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A good almost ruby appearance poured at the Bistro 13th ipa festival. A little brown around the edges. Great thick lace. Hops in the nose for sure, almost spicy, somewhere between harvest, torpedo and celebration ale.

Good malt backbone on this thing. The slightest bit of peppery spice to it, that's the most unique aspect of this that separates it from the other SN beers. Big bitterness pairs well with big malt roast. All the other usuals, pine, citrus etc. . .

Just another good beer from SN.
Aug 22, 2010
Photo of DovaliHops
Reviewed by DovaliHops from California

4.42/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours an almost-clear, dark amber color with a nice white head. Smells very sweet, with a well-balanced hoppy finish. A little more hoppy than Torpedo. The taste is somewhat familiar, but much more complex... It tastes like Torpedo if Torpedo was a chemist... More going on in the flavor department. Not putting Torpedo down at all, this beer is just a bit more on the complex side IMO. Very nice grapefruit finish on this beer. The mouthfeel is very nice considering it is labeled as an IPA...could be borderline DIPA. AMAZING drinkability on this.
Aug 04, 2010
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: The pour is a dark amberish color with a mild off-white head to it.

S: Lots of pine and citrus, namely grapefruit, hop aromas immediately fill the nose. There is also a touch of woodiness to it, perhaps rosemary?

T: This beer is surprisingly bitter, especially compared to other Sierra IPAs. Lots and lots of pine and citrus (grapefruit again), with a lingering resinous bitterness.

M: The body is medium with a moderate carbonation.

D: At times, the bitterness came off as harsh. But, it was not quite so sustained as to significantly impact my perception of the beer (in a negative manner).
Jun 30, 2010
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I was told that this beer was a little bit of a mistake. The brewers were brewing something else, but because of a shortage of a certain variety of hop or something, they used some of the estate hops instead. When that came to light, it was then decided that this would just be a new beer! Well, thanks for that!

A - It pours with a slight haze that's probably from hops. Tiny bubbles rise steadily through the brass-gold body. A short cap of creamy off-white foam drops slowly, leaving behind some excellent patches of sticky lace.

S - Citrusy/fruity and gently pine-accented hops rise over a lightly sweet, straightforward malt base.

F - Aggressive and a bit edgy, the hops clearly dominate with notes of pineapple, citrus rind, grapefruit, orange, lemon zest and pine. A bold bitterness anchors it, and although the malt is clearly present throughout, it seems almost as just something balances the bitterness and contain the hop character. It finishes dry and hoppy, but fairly short, and not as bitter as you might expect given the solidness found in the flavor.

M - Medium-bodied with a gently bristling, fine-bubbled carbonation.

D - I was quite surprised at how brash and powerful this was, coming on the heels of the mundane Torpedo IPA. This is bold! This is bright! This is what I was expecting the Torpedo to be, a solid, hop-juice drenched west coast IPA. Certainly worth trying!
Oct 22, 2009
Photo of chinabeergeek
Reviewed by chinabeergeek from Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
on-tap from the SN event at sunset grill and tap, in allston, ma, on april 23, 2009, during the week of the craft brewers conference.

clear, dark amber. head fades to sparse wisps and ring. good lace.

aroma: fresh piney hops, some citrus rind, apple esters, caramelized malt.

taste: piney hops again, with citrusy grapefruit (fruit, rind and zest), giving bold resinous bitterness. apple fruitiness and malty caramel foundation.

smooth, with resinous finish. slightly fizzy but creamy carbonation.

pretty standard stuff. perhaps served too cold however.
Jun 27, 2009
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

4.42/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I had this on tap at the Drafting room in Exton, served during brunch after the West Coast Brewery night 6/5.

Served chilled in a goblet

A - A light bronze dark golden shade w/ 2finger light pale cap. There is great lacing w/ an extra fine bead. Gently hazed appearance w/ visible carbonation ascending

S - Sweet pine and mild grapefruit aroma w light honey malt scnet and hints of orange and lemon w/ mild white grape

M - Crisp hop acidity w/ mild sweet hop flavor. The citrus type acidity and hints of spice dominate the feel as it finishes

T - Juicy and citrus taste from American hops through and through w/ citrus aplenty-grapefruit/tangerine and light floral and lemon accents. The tip is sweet and has a great green bitter flavor after the initial taste that just hits and drops back. The flavor is full of hop taste, not just bitterness, w/ floral resinous and juicy citrus flavors. There is mild rind in the taste but the malt back is substantial and keeps the bitterness in range to be considered pleasurable

D - A great IPA that has excellent hop flavor and is very bitter too. The drinkability is very high, it really refreshes and this drinks better than most w/ refreshing balance for such a hoppy west coast IPA
Jun 09, 2009
Photo of ThePeskyDingo
Reviewed by ThePeskyDingo from Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Small fluffy light tan head with good lacing, color was a deep slightly hazy copper color.

Smells of hops and some citrus/grapefruit notes.

Tastes like it smells, of hops and citrus/grapefruit.

Mouthfeel is bitter that is medium bodied and medium has carbonation. Finishes dry.

Drinks pretty good. Reminds me a lot of most other hoppy Sierra Nevada brews. Pretty easy to drink. Masks the ABV well.
Jun 02, 2009
Chico IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 30 ratings