Sierra Nevada Celebration Sightings (2022)

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by carolinabeerguy, Oct 16, 2022.

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  1. CentralPABeerDude

    CentralPABeerDude Crusader (482) Sep 1, 2022 Pennsylvania
    Society Trader

    Just picked up my 3rd 12 pack this year, so it’s looking like a 2-3 case season. My first was cans and the 2nd was bottles, both from the Mills River location. IMO, the bottles are superior by far. I seem to get more of the rose character on the nose and the flavor seems to pack a bigger punch in the bottle.
     
  2. deanzaZZR

    deanzaZZR Savant (1,103) Jan 8, 2015 California

    I would like to hear how using bottles helps enhance hop flavors and packs a bigger punch. I am not trolling.
     
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  3. tolar111

    tolar111 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,060) Aug 17, 2008 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    If I were a betting man, I would say tank conditioned cans and bottle conditioned bottles.
    That's just a guess on my part.
     
  4. CentralPABeerDude

    CentralPABeerDude Crusader (482) Sep 1, 2022 Pennsylvania
    Society Trader

    That was also my guess. As in bigger punch, I meant a more prominent flavor. @deanzaZZR
     
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  5. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I'd also suggest that there's possible differences between the performance of the canning and bottling line.

    I'm hoping to set up a bottle v can side by side this week so I'll report my findings
     
  6. CentralPABeerDude

    CentralPABeerDude Crusader (482) Sep 1, 2022 Pennsylvania
    Society Trader

    Yes, please do.
     
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  7. bcm119

    bcm119 Savant (1,101) Feb 17, 2001 California
    Society

    I did a blind test between a can and bottle, both poured into identical glasses. They were bottled within about a week of each other in mid-late October from Chico. I chose the bottled version as my favorite, but just by a little. To my taste, the bottle had a slightly brighter hop profile, while also having a deeper, more supple malt profile in the middle.
     
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  8. ESHBG

    ESHBG Pooh-Bah (2,099) Jul 30, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I have done numerous side by sides with various beers and your take was like mine: the bottle is better, but not by much. I do prefer the pours that I can get from bottles vs cans, though.
     
  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I would be interesting to know what the Sierra Nevada QC panel think on the topic of bottles vs. cans for Celebration?

    Cheers!

    @SierraTerence
     
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  10. deanzaZZR

    deanzaZZR Savant (1,103) Jan 8, 2015 California

    Do the labels on the bottles read "Bottled Conditioned" as they did in the past?
     
  11. Hoos78

    Hoos78 Maven (1,303) Mar 3, 2015 Ohio

    I may have missed the memo, but where is bottled Celebration available? I’ve only seen cans in 6 and 12 packs. I’ve always preferred bottled Celebration to canned.
     
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  12. CentralPABeerDude

    CentralPABeerDude Crusader (482) Sep 1, 2022 Pennsylvania
    Society Trader

    Have it here in rural PA. Thought it was cans only until they popped up at my local spot.
     
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  13. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    It's here in northern California. Only 12 packs and not all stores have them. Some just cans
     
  14. SILVER

    SILVER Zealot (644) Jan 3, 2007 Florida

    While checking on line for Celebration at TW I see that the different stores in my area have different supplies. It could be a combination of bottle vs cans vs 6-pks and/or 12-pks.
    So, if you are able to use that tool to find out.
     
  15. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Well I did my side by side of can v bottle. Can dated 10/03, bottle 10/12. Both from Chico. Ultimately, they were very very similar beers. It was some considerable effort to pull differences out. The head from the bottled beer was both better from the start and more persistent. My nose couldn't find àny distinct differences. On the palate, I felt like the canned beer was a little sharper. A more prominent grapefruit note and maybe some more pine. The bottle is a little softer at the edges with a bit more of the rose/floral notes. The bottled beer felt a bit fuller.

    Again, these distinctions are pretty minute and it would be easy to overlook them if I weren't searching for them. Also, while I think the bottle beer is closer to what I think of as the archetypal Celebration flavor profile I think I might have enjoyed the canned version better today. Maybe I was just in the mood for a bit more bite.

    Lovely beer all around
     
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  16. bcm119

    bcm119 Savant (1,101) Feb 17, 2001 California
    Society

    "Fuller" is a good way to describe the bottled version. I also thought the differences were pretty subtle, and I really had to put some effort in to characterize them. And I think it would be hard to say one is objectively better than the other, but I decided I liked that fuller, softer bottled version a bit more. At least at that moment I did.

    For those in NorCal, I found cases of bottles at Costco. 28.99.
     
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  17. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Yeah I ended up getting the 12 pack for about 19$ out the door at a local grocery chain. Great deal for a great beer
     
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  18. CentralPABeerDude

    CentralPABeerDude Crusader (482) Sep 1, 2022 Pennsylvania
    Society Trader

    After having almost 3 12 packs of Celebration, I’m craving something hazy and less bitter. Probably in the minority, but anyone else?

    Don’t get me wrong, this beer is great. But, starting to lose its appeal quickly.
     
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  19. ESHBG

    ESHBG Pooh-Bah (2,099) Jul 30, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I've been like this with IPAs since I've been drinking them and they quickly become "one note" for me and I need to switch to something else. And while I love variety I do not have this issue with any of the other styles that I like and if I had to I could drink those repeatedly.
     
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  20. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I don't think I've chosen to drink 3 12 packs of any one beer in a month. I've bought 3 12 packs of Celebration, but shared them all and probably only drank a single 12 pack in that time. I bought a 6 pack of Porter and a 6 pack of Narwhal last time I went to the store
     
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