Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2010

From Sierra Nevada – The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration^® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration^® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.

Sierra Nevada Brewing – Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2010 – 12 oz. bottle poured into a goblet. 6.8% abv. Purchased at Whole Foods Market Pasadena, CA.

Appearance: Pours an amber orange with a 1 inch beige colored head that subsides to a 1/8 inch creamy film. The body let’s plenty of light through, but is other wise a bit hazy with visible rising carbonation. Leaves behind webby lacing.

Aroma: A modest bouquet of earthy, herbal, piny hops and soft caramel/toffee like malts.

Taste: Piny, earthy bitter hops, matched by an equal amount of malt that tastes like toast and caramel. Finishes bitter, herbal and malty. There is a little bit of citrus as well, it’s just not as prominent as the rest of the hop flavors this year.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, full bodied, with a moderate level of carbonation.

Overall: This beer has quite a smaller hop nose and juicy hop profile compared to years past. None the less, still amazing and still enjoyable, and still something I drink more of than any other beer all year ’round.