2014 Celebration Ale

I noticed a difference right away this year, and i'm not talking about the label . It taste very similar to their Northern Hemisphere. Yes more "red" character and seems less hoppy, and just less of whatever it had it in previously...it is still good though, will decide for sure when I have it on draft.

 

I haven't had this year's yet, but I am drinking a 2013 that I accidentally cellared. Still really nice, actually.

 

Something is wrong with your prognosticatory taste buds, this next year's version is clearly less hoppy.

What I have always found interesting, to be honest, is that this is the only IPA whch seems to garner a lot of support as being good to cellar. I personally do not do that and do not believe it has anything making it an outlier of a beer in this regard. Still, it is an interesting phenomenon.

 

It is odd, in a good way. I don't know if cellaring improves Celebration, but it definitely still is good with a little age on it.

DFH 90 minute and Burton Baton are the only other IPAs that seem to fall into this category (though they're double IPAs).

 

I can't tell you if it's more or less red and I can't tell you if it is more or less hoppy - it's been close to a year since i drank it last, Too many beers in between and my memory is not so good

- but I can tell you I had it on draft last night at a burger joint and it was mighty good. I don't think it was a hop bomb. Just a well made brew. Always look forward to doing some celebrating with celebration.

 

I think Celebration Ale gets cellared a lot only because people buy too much of it. What else to do with a hoppy Xmas ale in March? Sit on it... for science!

 

I had one last night and I thought it was pretty good as always. I did have it right after a Founders Harvest ale, but either way it been a year since I've had it so I'm not sure if its different or not.

 

One year they may decide to screw with us by really adding spices and changing the hop profile. It would cause mass hysteria on BA.

 

Anyone seen this in Boston or upstate NY (heading to see my parents this weekend)? I NEED Celebration!!

 

I don't get the whole cellaring Celebration at all. It's a hop forward beer with plenty of malt already, the last thing it needs is time to become maltier. I've had it with a year on it (yes, I bought too much one year) and it's not even close to fresh.

The DFH thing is the same. People think they can age 90 Minute because it's a malty IPA, when in reality all it does is become maltier, not better. The beauty with 90 is it's mix of hops and malt when fresh, not it's mix of malt and malt with age on it. Ask me how I know this. Again, I bought too much one year (got a good buy on it). After a year, 90 Minute becomes almost undrinkable. Burton Baton is not quite the same as 90, but that one too is still best fresh.

The comment about this years Celebration tasting like the NH is timely. Funny, I was just thinking that I wanted to compare the 2 side by side and see the differences. I just bought a bomber of NH and if I can find Celebration fairly soon I'll do just this.

 

I got an email from Table and Vine in West Sprigfield that they have it so I'm sure other major stores in MA will have it.

 

Had it last night and it was as good as ever!

 

Had it on draught, cask and bottle last night... Will continue until it's all gone.

 

Wait...one year? I am confused. The beer is always spiced and the hop profile always changes.

This year, Celebration seems to be huge cinnamon bomb.

 

I'd love to try Celebration on cask.

 

BAHLEETED!! (???)


I think one of these threads should be auto-created every year when Celebration is released. A sort of celebration of Celebration.

 

Too much spice