Big Little Thing
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

4.12/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by klaus57

Poured into 12 oz. glass. Red gold color. Not as hazy as expected. Clean smell with a stimulating “bite” to the nostrils (probably from the 9.0% ABV). The high alcohol content is not immediately obvious to the pallet and the warmth one typically gets from a high gravity beer sneaks up on you. Hop flavoring is complex - cascade seems dominant. Mouth feel is very satisfying - soft, wet, and full bodied. Good head retention - cream colored, and there is a nice nutty/malt flavor apparent in the foam.
First time reviewer…

Nov 08, 2021

4.37/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by Thankin_Hank from Texas

B_L_T_IPA pours with a big fluffy head, some good carbonation and a little lacing. Smells of fruit and funk. A little dank but you don't taste it. It's really a smooth IPA that lacks bitterness. Rather remarkable. Very nice for an Imperial IPA and I will buy this again. A stovepipe can dated 032222. Way to go Sierra Nevada.

Today at 12:44 AM

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Act25 from New Jersey

Licorice? yes. Love S/N the best large at craft.
a) Pours amber with light haze sporting a full, lacing, long-lasting head.
s) Malt, citrus, a bit of scat.
t) More malt caramel, orange, pine, herbs, licorice! Some alcohol.
f) Creamy mid-body with scrubbing mouthfeel and dry finish.
o) Odd, strong, big, complex, notable for scrubbing creamy feel and licorice.

Tuesday at 08:35 PM

3.83/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by hman43 from North Carolina

Look: It pours golden and clear with a white head. Head retention is excellent.

Smell: Some candy like aromas with tropical fruit. It has grainy sweet notes melon and pineapple.

Taste: There are tropical fruit flavors with grainy sweetness. There are some pineapple notes with melon elements like cantaloupe.

FeeL It has a medium body with a more sweet than bitter finish.

Overall, the hops are featured as the main aroma and flavor element with everything in support.

Sunday at 03:02 AM

3.94/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by Captain69 from Illinois

HOPPY IPA NOTHING SPECAIL BUT COULD DRINK ALL DAY

Apr 10, 2022

3.46/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by MrOH from Malta

Clear gold, big white head, excellent retention,
complex citrus aroma
Complex citrus flavor, some sweet malt, a touch of booze
Medium bodied, appropriately carbonated, slightly hot
Ehh

Apr 09, 2022

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by Ismaelmyself

Great flavor and even better IBU imperial IPA. This is the perfect at the end of a hard day and it only takes one to start the relaxation.

Apr 05, 2022

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
by Spike from England

12oz can.
L: Amber colour with a light haze and a full, long-lasting head.
S: Soft malt and gentle citrus.
T: Caramel, orange zest, white pine. Semi-sweet with light bitterness. Some alcohol.
F: Medium/full body with rich mouthfeel and a bone dry finish.
O: A smooth, approachable IIPA. Probably too approachable for 9% ABV.

Mar 25, 2022

3.73/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
by flagmantho from Washington

Poured from 19.2oz tall can into a dimpled mug. Canned 1/12/22.

Appearance: rich golden hue with a totally clear body and practically three fingers of frothy ivory foam. Really very beautiful!

Smell: sweet malt with a dank, citrusy, grapefruity hop character. A bit muddled, but not bad at all.

Taste: very sweet with lots of malt and a definite dank, grapefruity and ... even a bit of licorice in the mix, somehow. Interesting. Definitely a big-ass Imperial, but there's no subtlety here. Not bad, but a little bit of a muddle.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a moderate carbonation and decent creaminess. Not as much body as I might expect from a beer of this size and sweetness.

Overall: for the "price" of this level of sweetness and alcohol, I'd like a bit more hop flavor in exchange. Not terrible, but a little bit meh.

Mar 17, 2022

4.22/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Mark-Leggett from Missouri

Poured from a can. Golden in color with a white foamy head and lacing. Smells of malt, pine and a tropical fruit hint. Flavors of bread, malt, pine and fruit. Flavors all work together well. Smooth and avb is well hidden. Nice

Mar 02, 2022

4.14/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by Billolick from New York

12 oz can

Pours typical almond amber, with a slight haze, minor cap and some oranges and almonds on the sniff.

Malty, nutty, and filled with more warming orange notes….pleasing ale, somewhere between a barley wine and a DIPA.

Feb 24, 2022

4.12/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by Valdez_Mescalito from Michigan

2021 Little Things Party Pack - 12 pack
12 oz. can dated 111021 (11/10/21) - 9.0% ABV / 45 IBU
Brewed and canned in Chico, CA
Poured into a Bell's branded pub pint glass

Look - Pours a thick and dense off-white head that sticks around. Clear, golden yellow appearance with a small amount of streaming bubbles.
Smell - The nose is very tropical forward with coconut and pineapple standing out the most. Also getting some mandarin orange and tangerine. Picking up more pine and floral scents as the beer warms.
Taste - The taste is much more bready, like a honey butter biscuit, with the hop flavors hanging out in the background. Some slight bitterness in the aftertaste and can't detect any of the high level booze.
Feel - Pretty thin and crisp mouthfeel and finishes medium dry.
Overall - More malty than hoppy and dangerously drinkable because the high ABV is hidden well.

Jan 23, 2022

4.01/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
by BigGinge from New York

Appearance: Nearly clear copper color, nice and dense white foam on top. Chunky lacing.

Smell: Grapefruit, pineapple, orange peel, yeast.

Taste: Citrus fruits, mainly grapefruit, nice and bitter without being harsh, bit of grass. Fairly sweet towards the end with a hint of breadcrust.

Feel: Hefty for an IPA. Medium to full bodied, little bit of alcohol warmth, carbonation is spot on.

Overall: Paid $2.71 for a tallboy. Worth it. Good beer.

Jan 16, 2022

3.83/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
by CTHomer from Connecticut

A: crystal clear; medium gold in color; 1 finger finely pored ivory head that receded to a wispy cap; thick rings of lace;

S: lemon, orange, and tangerine;

T: orange up front, then a little soapy, then follows the nose through the finish; mild to moderate bitterness at the end;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; dry finish;

O: didn't love the flavor;

Jan 07, 2022

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by BucannonXC5 from California

Type: 19.2-oz. can
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial IPA
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. brandy snifter glass
Price: $2.99
From: Windmill Farms in Del Cerro (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: Jan. 28, 2021
Consumed: Jan. 29, 2021
Misc.: Canned on Dec. 10, 2020

Grabbed a can of this and a host of others on a recent trip to Windmill Farms. Had been eyeing this one for a bit and I think this was the first time I saw it in stores. Sierra Nevada’s site described it as “Make way for the Big Little Thing, an imperial IPA flexing a full malt body, restrained sweetness, and tropical hop flavors of mango, grapefruit and tangerine.” Mentioned hops were Magnum, Crystal, Chinook, Idaho 7, Columbus, Cascade and Mosaic. Usually not a fan of that many hops in a beer, but I’ll always give it a try.

Poured a medium amber clear color with 3-to-4 fingers of rocky off-white head. Could see a few bubbles creeping up along the sides of the glass. Perfect foamy spiderweb lacing. Perfect foamy retention. (Sight - 5.00)

Right away got that usual Chico yeast in the smell. Also Magnum (mostly have had this with Sierra Nevada), pine, resin, spoiled dark fruit, melon, wood, peach, orange and some mango rind. Not quite as good out of the can. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted at least as good as the nose. In order got Magnum, woody Chinook, pine, resin, pepper, usual Chico yeast, melon, dark berry, peach, orange, mango, grapefruit, herbal and tea. Pretty smooth for 9 pct. ABV though. (Taste - 3.75)

Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Bitter finish. (Feel - 4.00)

Was back and forth on a few categories, but this was outstanding overall. (Overall - 4.00)

3.90 | 88 | B+

Dec 24, 2021

4.46/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75
by Guiltybyproxy from Texas

Very good taste after the first few sips. Hits pretty hard on taste at the beginning, but once you've had a few sips it goes down smoothly. Very relaxing beer, highly recommended for just hanging with friends or the holidays

Dec 21, 2021

4.04/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by scootny from New York

Lovely deep golden with great clarity. Thick white head and a lot of sticky lace. Nice retention and a pleasingly slow fade.

Nose is a nice shot of pine and citrus. Just right for this night of the Christmas season. I bit of peppery bite and

Taste is solid and delicious. Big malt core with lots of pale malt sweetness and lightly toasted grains. Alcohol is well integrated and basically invisible. Pine and orange hops that leaves a touch of grapefruit in the the finish.

Super soft mouthfeel upfront with a tingly carbonation. Some heat for the booze and a surprisingly light feel for a beer so big.

Remarkable? No. Highly drinkable and delicious? YES! Way too easy to go through a few of these 19.9 oz cans without a thought and BOOM! You're hammered or well on the way and into your third can. A solid effort that is welcome anytime.

Dec 19, 2021