Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 9.6%
Country: USA, California

This is actually my first barleywine and I'm rather surprised it has taken me this long to pick one up to try. Typically, barleywines are among the most potent of the styles. ABVs start at 8% and only go up. These beers are usually dark, full of complex flavors, and bitter. Sierra Nevada is a brewer I've had enjoyed in the past, so I figured this would be a good barleywine to start with.

Pour showed a color that was rich and reddish brown. It had a small, off-white head that reduced quickly but left a thick layer of lacing that hung around until the very end. A flavorful aroma was dominated by pine and citrus. First thing I noticed when sipping was the thick body. It was nearly syrup like in its thickness but felt silky smooth and creamy. Hops certianly dominated the flavor with a sticky pine flavor along with grapefruit citrus. Behind the hops were some hints of the malts, a bit of sweetness and toasted flavors. A massive wave of bitterness popped and lingered for a long time after the sips were finished. Some alcohol was noticeable in the finish which lent a nice warming spiciness that hung around while holding hands with the bitterness.

Overall, this beer drank like a slightly less hoppy Imperial IPA with a beefed up body. In other words, this was tasty. This would also be a good beer to cellar for a year or two to see how the alcohol flavors change and mellow. I'll probably end up buying a few more to do just that. A-

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.20%
Country: USA, California

Happened to be at my local grocery store and was in need of beer. There was a mix and match six-pack section so I bit. Not a wide variety of craft beer, but enough non Bud/Coors/Miller beers to make it worth while. Sierra Nevada is one of the original American craft brewers that started in the late 70s and early 80s. Their Pale Ale is their flagship brew that will have to make an appearance on these pages soon.

Poured a bright orange that was nice and clear leaving a thin white head. The aroma was of citrus and pine. Not a super powerful aroma like most IPAs, but still noticeable. Perhaps a lack of dry-hopping. Dry and bitter up front with plenty of malt backbone. Less overtly hoppy than most IPAs but still contains a good wave of bitterness. Ends dry, bitter, and a good bit of bready malts. Not a typical IPA for sure, but still tasty. Very refreshing and quite drinkable. No trace of alcohol, I'd be easy to have too many of these too quickly. A-

Sierra Nevada Porter

Brewer: Sierra Nevada

Style: Porter

ABV: 5.6%

Not usually a big fan of Sierra Nevada's offerings I was limited in choices from the local convenience store. I went with this due to it being winter even though I was in Florida with temps in the 70s.

Upon initial pour and inspection all I could think was coca cola only it maintained a slight lace once some of the head receded.

The aroma was that of toffee and roasted malt.

Taste wasn't anything to write home about, I didn't get much of anything until about mid mouth. Thats when I could taste the toffee with a slight hint of licorice. Finished off with a short lived bitterness. Mouth feel showed a light carbonation but not the smoothest beer I have drank.

I'm giving this a C, overall average, nothing to special.

-Roy

More of my photography

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Another Christmas beer? What do you want from me... it's a seasonal! This beer was packed with flavor, and was interesting to me since I'm still working on appreciating hoppy beers.

This beer is a typical IPA and comes in at 6.8% ABV and is full of character. It has a very citrus-like aroma when poured, with a backdrop of hoppy scent. At first taste, you get smacked in the face with the hoppy notes, while noticing that they are more of the floral hop taste rather than the bitter kind. That sweetness stays with you between sips and is very nice indeed. There is a very slight hint of Christmas spices in this beer, which are overwhelmed by the hoppy nature of an IPA.

Though it is a higher ABV than a lot of "normal" American beers, this beer goes down easily and you could probably enjoy a few of these.

I give this beer a solid B+. I might be able to give it a higher rating if I were more appreciative of the hoppy nature of this IPA, but I am still developing a taste for these kind of beers. Hopefully we'll get Alex or Roy to chime in on this one, as it gets a lot of rave reviews in the online world of beer.

-Bo