Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Orange-copper color. Cloudy, off-white, foamy, rocky head. Big bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Strong hop nose. Citrus/grapefruit. Malty, meadowy, piney.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Grassy, woody. Hop flavor dominant. Fades to strong hop bitterness. Very bready—raisin bread. Slight sourness.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Bitter end, some sourness. Malt fades quickly, bitterness sticks around. Starts grassy, ends woody.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Thin; has body, but on the weaker side. Appropriately carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Very green—the wet hop quality is there. Needs more body to offset the bitterness. Overall, a good beer.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Tough call—I like it, it's refreshing; yet, hop flavor fades too quickly to note, too thin, too bitter. Sierra Nevada occasionally suffers from the high expectations we place on them, alas.

Ben: Don't get me wrong, I like this beer. It does fall short on body. It's green, but wet-hop, so it's to be expected. Worth a try when it comes out once a year.