Sierra Nevada Freshness

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Celtics76, Dec 10, 2019.

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  1. Celtics76

    Celtics76 Pooh-Bah (1,781) Sep 5, 2011 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah

    Just an FYI to everyone...

    For Thanksgiving, I bought a Sierra Nevada mix pack which includes the Coffee Stout, Flipside Red IPA, Pale Ale, 3 Weight, and Hop Bullet. Box was dated 10/11/19 so I thought "good, relatively fresh". Come to find out, all of the bottles had bottling dates of around between 8/27 and 9/20. I thought "what the hell".

    However..all of the beers taste like they're still fresh off the bottling line. It's been covered here before but they have some awesome bottle conditioning methods. Bottom line is don't be scared away from beers 3+ months out from them.

    I've been so caught up in hazy IPA culture over the last few years where everything is "stale" or "not optimal" after 3 weeks, it's nice to know I don't have to worry so much about it with a cutting edge brewery like SN.
     
    #1 Celtics76, Dec 10, 2019
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  2. Ahonky

    Ahonky Initiate (0) Feb 13, 2018 New York

    Are any of these bottle conditioned?

    I don't believe beers that are uber-fresh are better.
     
    #2 Ahonky, Dec 10, 2019
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  3. Shanex

    Shanex Grand Pooh-Bah (4,960) Dec 10, 2015 France
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I’ve had a number from them - Torperdo, Hop Hunter, SNPA and so forth and they were always good despite having 2-3 months on them. Something unacceptable for a Californian or someone closer to Mills River but Europe has got to like what we are being offered. They hold up well.
     
    #3 Shanex, Dec 10, 2019
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  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    The only beer of those listed that is bottle conditioned is the Pale Ale.

    Sierra Nevada claims that many of their beer brands are 'good' for 150 days from packaging if they are stored in cool conditions. Assuming the Sierra Nevada beers are not exposed to warm/hot conditions than you are indeed correct that "3+ month" old Sierra Nevada beers are still worthwhile to drink.

    Cheers!
     
    #4 JackHorzempa, Dec 10, 2019
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  5. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    Well that sucks. I know most will say they are fine but I still revert to the 90 day rule on IPA. If I am consuming IPA's I want my hops as fresh as it can be. The coffee stout should be ok but again the coffee falls off over time so that would be better fresh.
    Why local wins a lot, you know when the cans come off line and that the beer is super fresh. Sadly with these packs they fill with various lots and you end up with some ok and some at their end life.
     
    #5 AZBeerDude72, Dec 10, 2019
  6. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    An opposing viewpoint:
    --- Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

    http://appellationbeer.com/blog/drink-them-while-they-are-fresh/
     
    #6 jesskidden, Dec 10, 2019
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  7. beerfinder

    beerfinder Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2008 Pennsylvania

    If they would eliminate the bottles and can the stuff, it would stay fresher a lot longer.
     
    #7 beerfinder, Dec 10, 2019
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  8. Celtics76

    Celtics76 Pooh-Bah (1,781) Sep 5, 2011 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah

    Yes, it would be helpful if the box date matched the bottling dates a little closer.
     
    #8 Celtics76, Dec 10, 2019
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  9. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    Totally agree, I have seen it before and also was pissed when I opened the box to see similar date variation. I think the box date should reflect the oldest beer placed in it, otherwise its misleading the customer and that is pretty lame.

    What is especially upsetting is when its a holiday box, one assumes fresh since its the holiday box and all, then you see beer from late summer lol.
     
    #9 AZBeerDude72, Dec 10, 2019
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  10. jasonmason

    jasonmason Zealot (742) Oct 6, 2004 California
    Society Trader

    How would that apply in this case, within a sealed 12-pack box?
     
    #10 jasonmason, Dec 10, 2019
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  11. racer2k

    racer2k Pundit (895) May 21, 2004 Massachusetts

    SN has some of the best R&D and packaging in the industry so their beer can stay fresher longer in bottles or cans. Their beers are good even 90 days after packaging in my opinion.

    Yes, I always look for them fresher but still very good.
     
    #11 racer2k, Dec 10, 2019
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  12. reowin

    reowin Initiate (0) Nov 24, 2017 Tennessee

    the liquor/beer store near me still has 6packs of sierra nevada porter from last year which kind of makes me mad i wish they would get some newer ones in its one of my favorite porters
     
    #12 reowin, Dec 10, 2019
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  13. Ahonky

    Ahonky Initiate (0) Feb 13, 2018 New York

    #13 Ahonky, Dec 10, 2019
  14. surfcaster

    surfcaster Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2013 North Carolina
    Trader

    SN holds up better than most and the annual return of Celebration is a marvelous example. Fresh hop, sure but love it fresh, 1-4 mo old--all good.
     
    #14 surfcaster, Dec 11, 2019
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  15. laketang

    laketang Grand Pooh-Bah (3,017) Mar 22, 2015 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah

    Yeah i agree it is tasty even at 3 to 4 months, beer geeks keep a geeking . Drink up and enjoy everyone else.
     
    #15 laketang, Dec 11, 2019
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  16. Stoutmaster9

    Stoutmaster9 Pundit (791) Dec 30, 2016 California

    Overall good news, I imagine the Coffee Stout would be most effected, did you find the (coffee) brew drifting towards stale?
     
    #16 Stoutmaster9, Dec 11, 2019
  17. DEdesings57

    DEdesings57 Pooh-Bah (2,556) Aug 26, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    @Celtics76 I have experienced this very exact thing with them before and it's disgusting to me. Since they use Packaged on dates then that only indicates when THE BOX was packaged on and not the individual bottles themselves. This tricky of semantics has stooped me from buy packs from them for a long time now!
     
    #17 DEdesings57, Dec 11, 2019
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  18. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The previous SN rep went into the date discrepancy a while back. I believe the mix packs are all hand boxed and since everything isn't bottled on the same day, there is a variance. Do you remember @Celtics76 which was the older beer? If it was the Stout, then I wouldn't be too concerned.
     
    #18 donspublic, Dec 11, 2019
  19. Celtics76

    Celtics76 Pooh-Bah (1,781) Sep 5, 2011 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah

    Hop Bullet was the oldest I believe (08/27/19). And that one held up really well. To be honest, I don't remember the coffee stout date as I figured it's not as big of a deal if it's older.
     
    #19 Celtics76, Dec 11, 2019
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  20. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    hm that is a pretty big variance on the hoppy beers. In the past on the canned mix packs I would usually see a 2 to 3 week variance
     
    #20 donspublic, Dec 11, 2019
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