Hello guys. Thanks for checking in on another craft beer review. Today, I’m going to be trying the 2011 version of the Celebration Ale produced by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company located in Chico, California.
I’ve had previous vintages of this great beer many times before, so I’m hoping that the 2011 version still has the aroma and flavor that I’ve come to enjoy in years past.
Let’s check out the commercial description of the Celebration Ale from the website, sierranevada.com.
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.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
This brew has an ABV of 6.8% and it comes in a 12 oz. bottle with a great little Christmas scene adorned on the label.
The appearance of the Celebration Ale was a semi-clear, orange/amber/copper color with a huge, thick, fluffy, soft and creamy head. The color was barley off white. It was of great size, had spectacular retention and the lacing was top notch. This beer looked great sitting in the glass.
The aroma had a wonderful hop presence. Grapefruit, peach and orange citrus pleased the nostrils. It was both floral and piny also. Some bready malts started to step forward as the brew warmed a bit. The fragrance was very pungent and aromatic, however it was not quite as bold as some of the more extreme IPA’s that are being produced today. It still had a very agreeable and delightful bouquet that, year after year, never seems to fail.
The taste rendered plenty of hop bite and bitterness. Grapefruit and orange citrus was recalled along with a well rounded, bready and caramel malt backbone. Recurrences of sweet floral and piny savors made this taste worthwhile and proper. It was very fresh, clean, snappy and good. Again, don’t expect an extreme “hop bomb”, but rather a very solid, respectable and enjoyable hop presence.
The mouthfeel was a sturdy medium. Very crisp, snappy, refreshing, thirst quenching and dry. It provided a slight bit of warmth from the 6.8% alcohol and the palate was drenched with plenty of flavor after each sip. Very good mouthfeel with this one.
What can I say? This brew is one of the all-time classics. It’s possibly the best “Christmas” themed beer on the market. It’s very solid and has a great recipe that doesn’t appear to have changed at all over the years. It is super easy to drink and dang near sessionable. I could have several of these at one time and not even think twice about it. I always look forward to the release of the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale each year and I will continue to grab six pack or two in years to come. If for some reason you have not tried this brew and it’s available in your area…. don’t hesitate, pick it up and give it a whirl.
Thanks for reading and commenting folks. I greatly appreciate it.
Until next time.
Cheers.
Score: 4.2 out of 5
Grade: A-
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