Sierra Nevada 2018 Celebration

I love the way it looked and the way it tasted but the one twelve pack is probably it for me. I try to focus on beers a little lower on the abv scale. Yes, I know I could just drink one and stop but a second beer is just divine.

 

I've gone through a case and just bought another 6. I suspect I will buy another 12 while it's still around.

 

I had some over Thanksgiving at my sister's house, and it was exceptional; I probably say this a lot, but I swear that it was the best that it's been in quite a while. I will be getting myself a case very soon.

 

Just picked up a case at Costco. $23.99. Gotta love it when 1 of the best beer bargains is this damn good.

 

Happy to have had this arrive prior to Thanksgiving this year. It never arrived until after Christmas at my local retailer last year. Funny thing is, my observation of the holidays is limited to a Festivus pole in the living room.

 

Yup, Delaware is the way to go here. I was at my local beer distributor a couple of days ago and a 12-pack of Celebration was 21 bucks (a total of $22.26 with tax). I bought something else instead.

Cheers!

@SierraTerence

 

It's been my go to for a month now and I'm drinking probably too much, but I'm enjoying the $15 twelve pack price. It seems like such a bargain and is fresh and delicious and is everywhere. One of the local Safeways already sold out of the 12 packs so I'm not the only one drinking this fine holiday fresh hop ale.

 

Already had a few sixers. Will be buying at least another case before it's gone.

I don't care what happens in the IPA world. Celebration will always be my favorite. I'm not sure if there's an IPA around that drinks as well as that beer at 30, 60 or even 90 days. Cheers!

 

Anyone else do a side by side with the Northern Hemisphere?

 

Jesus, dude...

 

I had a case of Celebration and when that was done, I picked up a 6 pack of Northern Hemisphere.

First of all, the 12 pack of Celebration was cheaper than the Northern Hemisphere 6 pack, which I found odd. No idea why NH was so expensive.

As far as taste goes, Celebration is a bit maltier to my palate whereas NH is more hop forward. Both were really good IMO but I won't be buying NH again due to the price point, whereas I might buy another case of Celebration this weekend.

 

Needless to say since I do not work for Sierra Nevada I do not have a definitive answer here but I would guess it is a combination of:

• Increased production costs since this beer is brewed with freshly picked hops otherwise referred to as wet hops (hops were harvested and used within a short timeframe e.g., 24 hours)
• Customers are willing to pay more for beers brewed with wet hops

Cheers!

 

Agreed. PA has the worst beer prices in the country, IMO.

EDIT: Hardly a reliable source but thrillist backs me up on this:

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/map-shows-case-of-beer-costs-in-every-state#

I guess that explains why the Roger Wilco parking lot is always packed with cars with PA plates.

 

Unfortunately that does appear to be the situation.

The aspect that irritates me the most is when I read BAs from neighboring stated report that they are able to purchase a beer that was brewed in PA for a lower price than my local beer retailer(s) charge.

I am sure there is an explanation for why PA prices are the highest but I do not know why. I do know that the reason is not dues to PA excise taxes on beer:

Excise Taxes are not the explanation:

• PA: $0.08
• DE: $0.16
• NJ: $0.12

Based solely on the aspect of excise taxes beers should be cheaper in PA vs. DE/NJ.

https://taxfoundation.org/map-beer-excise-tax-rates-state-2014/

Non-cheers to high beer prices in PA!!

 

Yeah that must be pretty annoying. What confuses me is the whole "not on excise tax" thing, because I think you explained this to me earlier in the year (or perhaps last year) that the extra alcohol tax from that "Johnstown Flood tax" does not apply to beer for some reason. I tried looking up what could be the reason and some are pointing to that antiquated law.

http://www.poconorecord.com/news/20170701/pennsylvania-has-highest-beer-prices-in-us

I could see transportation being a part of the reason. It also wouldn't surprise me if the confusing (IMO) distribution system in PA is a cause of the inflated market price of beer. I was going to say "maybe it's a higher cost of living sort of thing" but California has some of the cheapest beer in the country. I really have no clue.

 

That is correct, the Johnstown Flood tax applies to wine and spirits; beer is not taxed via this tax.

I am not aware that the PA three tier system is any different from NJ. Beer sales are commonly: Brewery -> Wholesale Distributor -> Retailers (e.g., Retail Beer Distributor).

Breweries in PA do have the option to self distribute if they want to take on this business aspect. For example, Tired Hands chooses to self distribute their beers.

Cheers!

 

I guess the jury is still out then. I get a feeling that somewhere in the Poconos there is a beer lobbyist sitting in his mansion, getting fat and laughing at all of us.

 

Yeah, definitely did a double take when they rang up the N. Hemisphere. Used to come in 24oz bottles and the per ounce cost with the 6-pack is slightly lower I think. But still, it’s a lot to spend on a Sierra Nevada IPA

 

I was in Philly today and stopped to grab an Oskar blues candemonium 15 pack that was on sale for $12.99 ( 30 October canned date)and also saw shockingly Celebration and pale ale on sale for $29.99 a case so I grabbed another. case of Celebration. Only the second time I have seen SN on sale, last time was the beer camp gold IPA for $20 a case.......I really liked that beer.

Enjoy