Sierra Nevada Celebration 2009

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA
2009 Celebration Ale

As usual, from Sierra, the signature golden color, like the rind of a perfectly ripe navel orange, and an angelic white halo of head form from the pour. Not that I’m biased or anything. The beer also has a slight haze, slightly more than the pale ale which also has sediment floating in the bottom. The carbonation is slow and fine.

It's a celebration, bitches. A Celebration, indeed.

The nose is certainly another Sierra trademark – rich citrus notes and cannabis. This brew has a sweeter texture, perhaps indicative of a maltier offering. There are sugary qualities to the aroma that remind me of pixi-stix or Sweet Tarts, but there is a breadiness of malt that comes across as sweet rolls.

The mouthfeel is very full, and starts off sweet and subtle with an orange-candy softness that rolls like a gathering wave into a full on smack of slightly floral hops that cascade into a slightly vinous aftertaste. There are fewer warming notes than I was expecting, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This beer is drinkable, and at nearly 7% ABV, maybe dangerously so.

The beer continues to open up as you drink, yielding slightly more resinous qualities that bring out touches of pine and ginger spice that indicate the more alcoholic nature of this brew. Elegant and heavy lacing hangs onto the chalice sides. Hops abound, as only Sierra can make them, and they are reasonably subtle here in that they don’t dry out your mouth as you sip. The florals do a lot to temper what might be an aggressive glassful for those not hooked on the hop. There’s a reason that this brewery made me love beer. And just when I think I couldn’t possibly love Sierra Nevada any more than I already do, I drink one of their beers and become giddy as a schoolgirl. Of course, that could be the 6.8% talking.

Because this beer is a Sierra stalwart, and doesn’t feel like you’re drinking Christmas dinner in a bottle, it is clear that this brew has not forgotten the secret of steel.

Nova Paka Lager

Nova Paka Brewery

Nova Paka, Czech Republic

Lager

I saw this half-liter bottle of BrouCzech in the supermarket and couldn’t resist. The supermarket is often a questionable place to get “authentic” imports since I have no idea how long this stuff sits on a distributor’s shelf before coming to the brightly-lit aisles of Gristedes’, but they haven’t let me down yet. And I suppose a distributor could hold onto a shipment for a while, but I trust a beer dealer more than one of New York’s crappier chains.

This lager pours with a rocky head that billows and sticks to the glass impressively. The nose is evident immediately. The brew is active with lively carbonation rising up all around the glass. The clarity is impeccable and the color is a beautiful honey hue with a faint hint of red. The nose is slightly sour and grassy. Faint notes of bread yeast hide a touch of nutmeg or cinnamon spiciness that I hope will come across as real Czech hops.

Ah, the first sip is splendid and the mouthfeel is full and complex. It starts as a standard lager or cooling pilsner but opens up nicely with more of the cinnamon than I would have thought, following with a slightly metallic grassiness that might be expected in a more golden lager. A fibrous biscuit quality finishes down the back of the tongue. The hops sizzle throughout the swallow in the shape of clean, carrot-like flavor.

I could enjoy this beer on a hot summer day or next to a fire in a dark beer hall. The lightness would pair well with heartier meals, but it can stand alone or with finer cuisine as well. I dub this a Crom beer. This beer has thoughts on the riddle of steel.

Brooklyn Black Ops

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, NY

Black Ops

This Russian-style Imperial Stout was aged in bourbon barrels and is a limited release from our local brewery. I’ve always loved Brooklyn’s offerings–as well as respect their 100% wind energy-run brewery–and have a great deal of respect for Brewmaster Garrett Oliver. I split a 750mL bottle of this three ways at George Keeley, which was perfect, but this review was written on the back of my beer list at the end of the night and transcribed by Rade.

Brooklyn Black Ops

The beer pours like syrup–absolutely opaque black and slightly viscous. THe head is a remarkably deep vermillion and tan. The nose has a lot of alcohol, you can tell right of the bat that this is a big beer. There is a lot of chocolate and molasses and a touch of caramel and a faint raspberry note, very rich and sharp like a cognac. The sip is surprising to begin, there is no alcohol bite but lots of deep dark chocolate and hops without much smoke and no real burn. the molasses is more evident, coming across as a full malt attack that coats the mouth. The finish is initially smooth with a faint biscuity hop kick followed by an almost severe shot of  hibiscus or juniper alcohol. Awesome all round.