2014 Celebration Ale

I'd have to agree to a certain extent, but they've been making Celebration for much much longer than the other hoppy beers like Torpedo, northern hemisphere, southern hemisphere, et cetera, which probably accounts for some of its popularity.

 

Haha my comment from almost exactly a year ago. That cabin looks so cozy.

 

I've been waiting for this thread to pop up! I look forward to this beer more and more each year. There are so many memories and good times tied to this seasonal brew. This is a quintessential Holiday IPA that goes great with everything. I can't wait to be putting up christmas lights and getting the woodstove going with a Celebration in hand.

Right after halloween I start the hunt to find it in CT and I usually get a 2-3 kegs over the course of the holiday/winter season.

It's an all around solid IPA that definitely reminds me of the holidays, without needing the spices. As I sit here sipping on a SN Warlock, I'm looking forward to the days getting shorter, cold days with even colder nights and coming home to warm up with a pint (or three) of Celebration Ale.

 

I don't think most people who have been drinking Celebration for years deny that some variation occurs. I think the ongoing "joke" is more of a reaction to many of the "this year's Celebration is XX" threads turning into complaint sessions for some who expected it to be hoppier. Often times the comments come without realizing that the poster's lupelin threshhold has shifted, or as a result of their recent experiences with more heavily hopped beers. There tend to be 9 "it's not has hoppy/epic" comments for every "the hops seem to be more floral/piney/etc." type comment.

 

That's not unusual for a finely crafted brew
Let the malts shine thru

 

I usually drink one of these while I am carving my Halloween pumpkin. Unfortunately, it is late this year in our area. I am digging the new label. This looks very rustic. I guess I will have to settle for a Nosferatu this year. Poor me....

 

Is the 2014 Celebration out already? If it is I would buy it now then cellar it until Christmas.

 

There are many seasonal IPA releases that have these same type of threads which do not use wet hops.

 

I never "save" it but it certainly holds up. Often the local grocery stores "firesale" it for 9.99 the day after Christmas--what a deal. They don't want to keep that "Christmas" beer around anymore. One of the few times I cheat on the local bottle shop. This years seems as good as ever to me.

 

I like this thread, but it is less persnickity than last years thread. Still a good thread though and look forward to a time when I can get this thread on another electronic device.

 

Celebration doesn't use "wet" hops, but it uses only 100% new crop just after harvest. That's my point. 100% freshly harvested hops... Most other year round or seasonal IPAs (hop forward) use a blend of pellets and feather in the new crop over time.

 

Ah, but see, other IPAs don't get nearly as many suggestions for cellaring. I find it interesting this IPA gets unique treatment in that regard. There are other finely crafted IPAs. Even other ones with nice strong malt backbones. Yet few people talk of cellaring them. So, it is unusual. That said, it is still a minority view. So, I may be overstating my case.

 

I've always thought that the fact that the neck label has the year on it contributes to that - the misunderstanding coming from some folks thinking that that means it is a "Vintage-dated" product meant for aging.


Now that I think about, pretty sure some have even argued that is the case in previous BA forum threads.

 

I sort of like the new label (link broken above).

 

The fact that this beer is only $8 for a sixer is an early Christmas present in and of itself.

 

I did that a couple years ago. Before I knew any better...but the bottle got lost in the back of the refrigerator. Was still pretty good.

 

So Sierra Nevada abandons one of its classic ales and gives us another IPA.

Actual response: I like the old label better. The new "Celebration" lettering looks like something out of sci-fi.

 

I feel the same exact way.

 

Man! I just don't what to think of this years version....because it's not on the shelves in MD yet damn it! Hurry the hell up please!? I'm thirsty for my overly spiced, less hoppy, more malty, under-hyped, over-hyped, this thread was much more bitter last year......beer.

 

Did I see a post that said the label has changed? Woe is me if that is true. I gotta check and see. Hold the fort.
OK I can exhale. Same red color same house on the label, just some more and varied printing. With all the talk about how every year's batch is different every year, I am easily confused.