Draught Style Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

 

This was purchased at Dan Murphy's in Armstrong Creek in October 2025 and drunk in November that year.

The beer is a thick, burnt orange in the glass with a fluffy, dirty-white head that leaves rings down the glass. There's no visible carbonation, but there are aromas of rich orange peel and juicy, chewy toffee malt. All up classic, old school west coast vibes.

The taste is exactly as expected from the nose. There's a punch of toffee malt slathered with bitter orange hops. The finish is expectedly bitter and very malty. There's a warmth after the swallow, likely from the hop and heavy malt load rather than the alcohol. This is a joy to drink, if you like this sort of thing!

The body of the beer is full and rich. Carbonation is mild, and the carbonic kick is minimal. It's been nearly five years since I had one of these beers, and I'm asking myself why I waited so long between drinks!

Cheers!
#761

 

Didn't realize this had a separate listing, but since it is literally a slightly different beer, it makes sense. The system works, much like losers sent to the North Slope of Alaska bragging about money with nothing to show for it.

Anyhoo, pours almost the same color, that amber appearance in a pale ale. Solid 3/7" off white head. Great retention. The aroma has a more streamlined C hop approach, still plenty of crystal malt hitting though. That spritzy aspirin tree grapefruit rind doesn't hit as hard.

The taste, hey, its a smoother, less malty, less hoppy version of SNPA. No surprises as Radiohead said. It is probably a good introductory route for the beer, as I still recall that party at UC Davis my senior year of high school where I thought there was soap in the cups because that first pour of SNPA was so soapy and bitter to me. The mouthfeel comes off as lower carbonation, and perhaps it is. Something about the bottle version, comparable to that Sprite at McDonalds, it just hits harder and zestier. This is still a really good beer even if a diluted version of the classic that sits as one of only 3 beers to get a perfect score from me despite over 6100 reviews.

Imported canned, didn't know it wasn't the classic pale ale. Bronze colour, slightly opaque. Lovely hoppy weedy instant hit like a classic US pale. Very bitter while being smooth. Lower carbonation and sweeter than the regular pale ale. Can should be marked differently as it's misleading.

5% special draft version at the NC brewery.

White head. Lace. Clear copper golden color.

A classic that never misses a beat. West coast goodness. Pine, floral hops, dank weed, resin. Sticky finish. Grapefruit citrus. So smooth with an excellent bitterness.

This is what a pale ale should taste like. So glad I got hooked on this 14 years ago and glad I got to try this version of it.

 

 

Pours a beautiful copper color, nearly clear, with an oatmeal colored head. The nose features floral hops and a nice biscuity malt aroma.

Those floral hops are forward on the taste and delicious, balanced by the biscuity malt flavor. The website references this being a session beer and I agree - it’s definitely sessionable with the floral hop flavors and the lighter body.

I prefer the bottled version, but this is a beer I’ll revisit whenever I can.

 

 

 

A: crystal clear; copper colored; 1+ finger finely pored off white head that receded to a thin cap; nice rings of lace;

S: mostly floral;

T: nicely balanced; floral and caramel from start to finish; moderate bitterness at the end;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;

O: easy drinking; a great example of the style;

 

 

 

 

 

On draft at the taproom in North Carolina, this poured classic amber with a khaki convex foam head.

Smell is lemon and orange zest, lightly dank yet floral, weedy with a touch of grass and earth.

Taste is floral, with a little bread, wheat, corn, and moderately bitter grass and grapefruit pith.

Moderate and frothy body.