Sierra Nevada & Bitburger to release Triple Hop'd Lager

I'm not as experienced and articulate as you and many others here, but yes that was my impression a few months ago with this beer and with IPLs in general. For me at least, it wasn't that the hop flavor was bad in any way, it just didn't mesh with the base beer and I guess my perception of what a lager should taste like. Now that hop flavor is dialed down and more complimentary.

 

I agree with this, my last cans from the case.were the easiest drinkers. The freshest I had it was about 10 weeks old and it was enjoyable and easy drinking but as I finished the last can a few days ago at more like 14 weeks in the can it seemed like some of the sharpest edges of the c hops had dulled and it gave the beer a much mellower and more coherent flavor.
Fresher it was a more interesting beer, and now it is a pleasant beer that is arguably a bit more drinkable.
If I make it back to Costco before.the end of the month I'll get another case. The only other place I've seen it a 6-pack is $12 and the case at Costco is $29. Maybe it's just knowing that I could have it at $0.11/oz, but I just can't spring the $0.18/oz ticket on the 6 pack

 

I discussed Bitburger Triple Hop'd Lager earlier today in the NBS thread:

Let’s Collaborate!

Today’s beer is a collaboration project between Bitburger and Sierra Nevada with a brand name of Triple Hop’d Lager.

Below is how this beer is detailed on the Bitburger website:

“Our Bitburger & Sierra Nevada Triple Hop’d Lager is brewed from three hop varieties—Cascade from the Eifel region in Germany and Centennial and Chinook from the USA— to create a fruity hop taste that is in perfect balance with the beer’s slightly bitter flavor. Cascade from the Eifel region in Germany and Centennial and Chinook from the USA – and refined with the “Bitburger Siegelhopfen,” our own seal hops blend. Our collaboration brew is an exciting mix that combines a fruity hop taste with a balanced bitter-malty flavor.”

Well, this is indeed an interesting collaboration in that:

· The hops selection is a combination of American grown hops (Centennial and Chinook) and German hops (German grown Cascade & the Bitburger Siegelhopfen blend whatever that is)

· It is a Triple hopped beer (did they steal this idea from Miller Lite?)



I have homebrewed a lot with Centennial, Chinook and Cascade (American grown) hops but needless to say never with the Bitburger Siegelhopfen blend. It will be interesting to see how this combination of hops over their triple hop schedule taste.

Drum roll please!!!!!

Served in my Polish Pilsner glass:

Appearance:

Hazy golden colored with a 3 finger white head. This beer has good head retention.

Aroma:

Yes, there is indeed a fruity hop aroma albeit of a more subdued level and there is even a hint of floral as well. Not a whole lot in terms of malt aroma.

Taste:

The flavor follows the nose with fruity flavor and just a little bit of floral. There is a bit more malt flavor as compared to the nose; reminds me of two-row pale malt.

Mouthfeel:

A medium body with an off-dry finish.

Overall:

I enjoyed drinking this beer; it is pretty darn good.

Patrik (@Crusader), if somebody were to give me this beer blind in all likelihood I would guess the beer to be an APA.

I want to give a ‘shout out’ to Michael (@TongoRad) and Chris (@zid) for their posts which encouraged me to purchase this beer despite the fact it was no longer a ‘spring chicken’ (this beer is now over 5 months old).

Cheers!

 

I talked to a SN rep this weekend and he said there may not be an Oktoberfest release this year due to the pandemic/travel restrictions

 

There have been other reports that there will be an SN Okto, just not a collaboration as in recent years.

@SierraTerence

 

Interestingly the stuff I have and have seen around are just under 4 months (brewed on 2/20) so I wonder how many batches they brewed and if there is fresher product in the supply chain

 

My beer was canned on 1/7/20. And it took 'forever' before this beer was on my local beer retailers shelf.

I recognize there is there are multiple business entities involved here (e.g., brewery, transporter, wholesale distributor, etc.) but....

Cheers!

 

Well, that batch should be on my local beer retailer's shelf around September/October.

Cheers!

 

"Yeah, we just got 'em in!"
(Customer, thinking to himself): "Yeah, OK, great. My concern is where they've been the last six months...not when they were put on your hand truck out back..."

 

SN Summerfest is (barely) popping up around here -- can't wait to see the bottling dates.

 

JK, that was indeed very much my personal concern here. If not for the advocacy of Michael (@TongoRad) and Chris (@zid) I would not have made this purchase.

As I referenced in my above post there are multiple businesses involved in distributing this beer from Bitburger to my local beer retailer's shelf but why the heck did it take so long?

This is no way to run an Industry. And one more reason for me to purchase locally brewed beer.

Cheers!

 

Anybody know when Hoptimum returns? Okay it may or June, normally? Maybe covid is pushing it back...?

 

I bought a six pack about 3 weeks ago.

 

I saw six packs of Hoptimum in Denver last week; the packaging date on the bottle was April, I believe.

 

Yep, as others said, its been displacing the last packs of bigfoot at my retailers over the last few weeks

 

One thing to note about Hoptimum is that it once again weights in at 10.6% ABV. If I remember correctly a year or two ago it was under 10 percent which I found more enjoyable.

 

Ha, best part of your post.

Lagers in the morning...you’d do well at the actual Oktoberfest.