When Has Sierra Nevada Ever Let You Down?

While we're throwing out requests of Sierra Nevada to bring back beers, I would love if they re-released the 30th Anniversary - Jack & Ken's Ale. It was a "black barleywine" that was very unique. And I wasn't alone in loving it - it won a Gold Medal at GABF.

Maybe next year for the 40th Anniversary? Or as a new member of the "High Altitude" series?

 

Man, that was a while back. Had a dark green label and a clipper ship on it I think. If I remember correctly, that was their first bottled IPA...though I do recall a draft IPA that just had a black label similar to the Pale Ale one somewhere back in the early 2000s as well. Either way, I agree that one wasn't memorable.

While never really "let down", I do agree with some of the other sentiments herein: that original Otra Vez was better than any subsequent iteration, that I don't see the point of Tropical Torpedo, and that I really really wish both Porter and (especially) Stout were easier to come by.

Overall though, Sierra Nevada has been the gold standard of craft brewing for as long as I have been a beer drinker.

 

It's easier to just ask you local retailer to order it for you if they're dealing with that same distributor. (Saves on gas and time, too.)

 

I can't say I have ever had a bad beer from Sierra Nevada but I have only had one or two beers that totally blew me away. Sierra Nevada is solid and consistent but for me anyway, they are one of the least exciting well-known breweries out there.

 

In my opinion, Sierra Nevada is the gold standard for which all U.S. breweries should strive. This is reflected by the accolades SN receives all over these forums, and they are able to do this while being a nationally distributed brand. The scale of production with the quality of output is unparalleled, imho. Are there local breweries that may produce higher rated beer? Of course. But it's hard to match SN's consistency, quality, and their brand longevity. I have read countless times in these forums of beer lovers who got into craft beer because of SN, and many (if not most), say it still holds up to the legions of craft beers on the market today. SN has never let me down.

 

Otra Vez, most recently, was the only SN that was a total swing and miss for me.

 

I love Sierra Nevada and their offerings. The only one I can think of that was a letdown was Estate Farmhouse Ale:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/408001/?sort=follow
I just didn’t like it, didn’t understand quite what style they were going for, and a disappointment considering I paid $10 for a 12oz single.

 

Celebration is their first bottled IPA and one of the first in the US overall.

 

You're the reason for @Roguer s extreme +rdev, see posts #64 and #65 above. I loved it and thought it was a great farmhouse/wild ale. Like a lot in that style I wouldn't want to pound a sixer but I found it really enjoyable

 

Well, you can find ads for US India Pale Ales that predate Celebration Ale by more than a century here - Pre Pro US IPAs ---- as well as a list of US IPA's from the Repeal era up to the Craft era. (Of course, missing are the many other US India Pale Ales brewed between roughly 1878 and 1920...).

 

I've had less 'new' beer in my fridge, and more and more Sierra Nevada Pale Ale/Torpedo.

I've hit a breaking point where I no longer care to gamble $8 per 16oz can for what might be a good, or better, IPA. I can get a 6er of Sierra Nevada Torpedo which is a good (even great when fresh!) IPA.

Only let down by Sierra Nevada is that I can no longer purchase their Brut IPA. That in cans would be my staple.

 

Good catch re: Celebration being their first.

In my defense, back then I don't recall Celebration being specifically labelled as an IPA, but as a seasonal ale (the old white label days). I was thinking of their first actual specifically branded IPA. Either way, I was wrong!

 

No prob! I remember drinking Celebration in the late 90s and I didn't know what it was. I had never even heatd of an IPA and anyway it was called "Celebration Ale". I simply thought it was a more bitter, festive version of their Pale Ale.

 

I've had about as many SN beers are most of you have had, and only one did I not care for: Otra Vez.

One of the Beer Camp mixed 12ers was kinda nasty, the ginger beer, but I'm not holding that against them.

 

Same. Back then, most of the Christmas ales were spiced Belgian ales, or Belgian ales, or spiced something. Wasn't expecting a tuned-up SNPA, and at the time preferred the spiced Belgian ales.

 

Given their decision to no longer produce seasonal mix-packs that includes me as well and I am very, very confident there are others doing the same.

That could be a possibility going forward but losing sales to folks like you, me and many other BAs is not a prudent business aspect. It would best serve Sierra Nevada to have folks like you, me and other BAs to purchase their beers and have "newer craft beer drinkers" purchase their beers. There is no absolute reason for this to be an either/or business thing. A brewery can indeed serve their regular beer customers (i.e., people who have been buying their beers for decades) and also serve "newer craft beer drinkers" as well.

Cheers!

 

You sure? How about Anchor Liberty, which before it was Anchor Liberty was their Christmas beer one year. I don't know the answer myself.

(now I just realized you said "one of the first"...)

 

Sierra Nevada has never let me down. It is alway available, priced accordingly, consistant and some of their core beers are world class. Have I liked every beer I have had from them? No. But they never released a beer that feels like goop.

 

Do you like Brut IPA’s as a style?

 

Anchor Liberty was introduced in 1975, and Sierra Nevada Celebration was 1981.