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10 Comments

  1. BigKahuna
    December 18, 2011 @ 11:38 am

    The packaging plays a big role in beer tasting. It’s tough to clear your mind of preconceived notions about a beer before tasting (Hence Blind tests.)
    Seems a bit unfair that the bottle and label get to play with your mind for so long before the brewer gets to play with your tastes!

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  2. Bradley Peet
    November 14, 2011 @ 10:15 pm

    I’ve been drinking Celebration Ale (and Bigfoot, as well as other Sierra Nevada varieties) for many years and it seems like the Celebration Ale in recent years has indeed changed. I used to think of it as “Bigfoot Lite” but nowadays I feel like the character of it has changed. Hard to put my finger on it, but it now seems to has less of the same characterist flavor it shared with Bigfoot Ale (albeit in more moderate proportions). Even if the official recipe didn’t change, I suspect something did.

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  3. The Professor
    November 25, 2010 @ 6:18 pm

    A great article. I’ve been a fan of this brew from the very beginning and it is indeed the best commercial IPA out there today. Great to get the story and facts set straight by the brewery itself. It remains one for the very few commercial beers out there that I actually look forward to. There’s a glut of beers these days that hype themselves “craft”, but Celebration is a beer (and Sierra Nevada a brewery) that actually manages to deliver on the promise. They were an early player in the so called “craft” field, and they still define it.

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  4. John E Fresh
    November 14, 2010 @ 2:01 pm

    Great post!
    I think too much credence is placed on “reviews” from particular beer advocate web sites. Judging and critiquing beer is hard work, no doubt. Just enjoying the taste of any particular beer can be an exhilarating experience alone.

    And over time – it gets awfully tiring to read about the “spices” in Celebration Ale and the “hops” in Damnation Ale that someone tastes. 95% of these people would never make a great beer judge.

    I’ve enjoyed Celebration since 1987. I was awfully broke at the time. And I love this beer now more than ever. The hallmark of Sierra Nevada – seamless edges, creamy/velvety texture. Long finish, Bravo!

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  5. Pick It Up
    November 13, 2010 @ 2:43 pm

    Just buy a case of Old Style and save yourself some money.

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  6. JayZeis
    November 12, 2010 @ 9:24 pm

    I was wondering these exact questions today. Thanks for gettinge the answers.

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  7. Steve Mastny
    November 12, 2010 @ 3:46 pm

    Great post, and props to Sierra Nevada for providing such a full and satisfying answer to a relatively short set of questions. I haven’t had this beer in several years, but I think I’ll need to pick up a six back the next time I’m at the store.

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  8. James W.
    November 12, 2010 @ 8:37 am

    What a great and informative holiday beer post. I too have heard all these rumors and speculations surrounding ‘Celebreation.” I first tried this brew in the 2009 vintage form, and wasn’t crazy about it. I don’t see myself buying s six-pack this year, but I’d like to try 2010 vintage draft somewhere and see if my preceptions change year-over-year.

    Great post, great site, and pretty awesome that your questions were answered straightforwardly.

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  9. Big Mike
    November 11, 2010 @ 6:24 pm

    I had this last year at the brewery and was not very impressed. I had a six pack last Sunday and was very pleased. The ambiance of the brewery usually has some affect on the overall impression. I guess my dingy pad has all the ambiance needed to enjoy a fine ale. Nah, just a better batch.

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