Hi, all,

1). Yesterday, I picked up my annual case of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.
But this 2006 batch seems plenty different then several years past. I
noticed very little "hoppiness". Not that it tastes bad, it doesn't. But, to
me, it tastes, maybe, more like a straight ale, then an IPA. Has anybody
else noticed this? Does anyone know what the IBUs are of this 2006 brew?

2). Also, I am noticing more and more beers at the distributors that say,
"Keep Refrigerated" or "Best Kept Refrigerated", etc. But, it appears that
most beer distributors just put these beers out on the floor with all the
rest, and not in the coolers. Does this have much affect on the flavor of
these type beers? Does keeping these beers warm, instead of chilled, change
their flavor at all? Curious mind wants to know.
Thanks.
- perry

Travelin Man > wrote:
>1). Yesterday, I picked up my annual case of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.
>But this 2006 batch seems plenty different then several years past. I
>noticed very little "hoppiness". Not that it tastes bad, it doesn't. But, to
>me, it tastes, maybe, more like a straight ale, then an IPA. Has anybody
>else noticed this? Does anyone know what the IBUs are of this 2006 brew?

Just picked up my first case yesterday. Haven't taken the
opportunity to try one yet.
However, for those keeping score, I'd swear the shade of red
on the label is a bit darker than in previous years.

>2). Also, I am noticing more and more beers at the distributors that say,
>"Keep Refrigerated" or "Best Kept Refrigerated", etc. But, it appears that
>most beer distributors just put these beers out on the floor with all the
>rest, and not in the coolers. Does this have much affect on the flavor of
>these type beers? Does keeping these beers warm, instead of chilled, change
>their flavor at all? Curious mind wants to know.

Yes. Exposure to heat and light will speed the aging and
staling of any beer. Most beer does not benefit at all from
being stored warm. Celebration Ale certainly will lose flavor
faster if stored warm. The most you can do is point out the
"Keep Refrigerated" text to your local retailer, and hope they
care enough about their product and customers to pay attention.
--
Joel Plutchak

"Things just fall apart." - Now They'll Sleep (Belly)

ers (Joel) wrote on 03 Nov 2006:
> Travelin Man > wrote:
>>1). Yesterday, I picked up my annual case of Sierra Nevada
>>Celebration Ale. But this 2006 batch seems plenty different then
>>several years past. I noticed very little "hoppiness". Not that
>>it tastes bad, it doesn't. But, to me, it tastes, maybe, more
>>like a straight ale, then an IPA. Has anybody else noticed this?
>>Does anyone know what the IBUs are of this 2006 brew?
>
> Just picked up my first case yesterday. Haven't taken the
> opportunity to try one yet.
> However, for those keeping score, I'd swear the shade of red
> on the label is a bit darker than in previous years.

And undoubtedly, last year's red was better.

Still waiting for my first SNCA of the year, though probably more due
to laziness than anything else.

Witzel

Joel wrote:
> Just picked up my first case yesterday. Haven't taken the
> opportunity to try one yet.
> However, for those keeping score, I'd swear the shade of red
> on the label is a bit darker than in previous years.
>

Bahahahahaa! I noticed the red label too! It's definitely deeper this
year, last year's red was SO much better. Damn Sierra Nevada! Soon the
label will be no more than a tomato-basil color.

_Randal

> Yes. Exposure to heat and light will speed the aging and
> staling of any beer. Most beer does not benefit at all from
> being stored warm. Celebration Ale certainly will lose flavor
> faster if stored warm. The most you can do is point out the
> "Keep Refrigerated" text to your local retailer, and hope they
> care enough about their product and customers to pay attention.
> --
> Joel Plutchak
>
> "Things just fall apart." - Now They'll Sleep (Belly)

I've noticed that same thing. One shop I've notice that World Market does
the same thing. They have a very nice selection of beers you can't always
find. And you can buy them as singles to try which is nice. But they keep
them all out of refrigeration, and I'm sure some sit there for quite some
time.

Also, our local Kroger's has a pretty good selection, and some are kept on
the shelf rather then in the cooler. But damn, it's so cold in there, the
ones on the shelf are cold enough to drink.

Haven't tried this year's SNCA yet. It's on the list though.

Larry T

In article >,
ers (Joel) wrote:

> Travelin Man > wrote:
> >1). Yesterday, I picked up my annual case of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.
> >But this 2006 batch seems plenty different then several years past. I
> >noticed very little "hoppiness". Not that it tastes bad, it doesn't. But, to
> >me, it tastes, maybe, more like a straight ale, then an IPA. Has anybody
> >else noticed this? Does anyone know what the IBUs are of this 2006 brew?
>
> Just picked up my first case yesterday. Haven't taken the
> opportunity to try one yet.
> However, for those keeping score, I'd swear the shade of red
> on the label is a bit darker than in previous years.

The label is very different than in previous years, including a red
border. (Yes, I have 6 years of cellared SNCA, so I checked.)

At first sip, I thought the flavor was a bit different this year, too.
Of course, I think that every year. One thing for sure - the SNCA that's
on draft right now is much more interesting to my palate than the
bottle. I expected just the opposite.

It's entirely possible that I'm less bowled-over by SNCA this year than
in the past because my palate's been broadened.

As the man says, further research is indicated. Think I'll start now.

dave in austin

>>>>> It's entirely possible that I'm less bowled-over by SNCA this year
>>>>> than in the past because my palate's been broadened.

Broadened probably. But I've got a 2005 (kept in the fridge all year) open
next to a 2006 and the difference is pretty substantial. I loved the 2005,
and it is still beautiful. It starts out clean and bright with a silky
mouthfeel and then comes a wave of light sweetness & autumn leafy hop
complexity, and then comes the hard concentrated hop finish that lasts and
lasts. The 2006 has a burst of pleasant hops at the start leading into a
long lingering hop finish, but it is far thinner on the palate--there is a
whole mid-range fullness/richness missing, and the overall hop impact,
despite the nice long finish, doesn't seem as big.

I thought the 2005 was a real winner--from day one--but with so many
incredible pale ales and IPA's on the market, I wouldn't buy another
2006--it just dies too much after the first burst of flavor--it's too much
like the typical yawnworthy IPA's you tend to find if you travel and buy
some random local product.

In article >,
"Douglas W Hoyt" > wrote:

> >>>>> It's entirely possible that I'm less bowled-over by SNCA this year
> >>>>> than in the past because my palate's been broadened.
>
> Broadened probably. But I've got a 2005 (kept in the fridge all year) open
> next to a 2006 and the difference is pretty substantial. I loved the 2005,
> and it is still beautiful. It starts out clean and bright with a silky
> mouthfeel and then comes a wave of light sweetness & autumn leafy hop
> complexity, and then comes the hard concentrated hop finish that lasts and
> lasts. The 2006 has a burst of pleasant hops at the start leading into a
> long lingering hop finish, but it is far thinner on the palate--there is a
> whole mid-range fullness/richness missing, and the overall hop impact,
> despite the nice long finish, doesn't seem as big.

Thanks for the report. I have a few years' worth in the fridge, but only
one bottle from each year, so I'm having to work myself up to do a
vertical. I think I'll try the '02, and if it's held up, I'll wait 'til
next year to try the '03, and so on.

dave
in austin

> >
> > Broadened probably. But I've got a 2005 (kept in the fridge all year)
open
> > next to a 2006 and the difference is pretty substantial. I loved the
2005,
> > and it is still beautiful. It starts out clean and bright with a silky
> > mouthfeel and then comes a wave of light sweetness & autumn leafy hop
> > complexity, and then comes the hard concentrated hop finish that lasts
and
> > lasts. The 2006 has a burst of pleasant hops at the start leading into
a
> > long lingering hop finish, but it is far thinner on the palate--there is
a
> > whole mid-range fullness/richness missing, and the overall hop impact,
> > despite the nice long finish, doesn't seem as big.
>
> Thanks for the report. I have a few years' worth in the fridge, but only
> one bottle from each year, so I'm having to work myself up to do a
> vertical. I think I'll try the '02, and if it's held up, I'll wait 'til
> next year to try the '03, and so on.
>
> dave
> in austin

You are a man with great will power. It would be hard for me to see this
every time I opened the frig, and not be tempted... I've got a sixer of the
SNCA 2006 that I will save and serve to the men-folk sometime after
Thanksgiving dinner, and that's about the extent of my staying powers.

Has anyone seen or heard about Anchor's offering this year?

Larry T

dave kelley > wrote:
>Thanks for the report. I have a few years' worth in the fridge, but only
>one bottle from each year, so I'm having to work myself up to do a
>vertical. I think I'll try the '02, and if it's held up, I'll wait 'til
>next year to try the '03, and so on.

I'm still surprised at the number of people who cellar
an approximately 6%abv beer. It doesn't make a lot of
sense to me-- especially for a beer that is a celebration
of fresh hoppiness.
--
Joel Plutchak

"Things just fall apart." - Now They'll Sleep (Belly)