Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale 2011

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Clear light-brown/copper color. Off-white head, big bubbles. Nice.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Fresh citrus hop nose. Clean, grapefruit and pineapple. Some grassy, meadowy aromas. Brown sugar maltiness.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Hop up front—flavors and bitterness. Woody, grassy. Nicely balanced with toasted caramel malts, brown sugar. Hop is the main player here.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter, in a good way (Matt thinks maybe too bitter; Ben thinks Matt is a wuss).
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Bright, full. Bitterness fills the mouth and stays put.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A hop lover's seasonal must-have. Big and hoppy to rival Torpedo—it's good.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Clean and crisp, hoppy, tasty—pair nicely with prime rib. A beer worth celebrating!

Ben: You can never go wrong with Sierra Nevada, and I always look forward to a new season of Celebration. A hop lover's dream.

New Belgium Snow Day Winter Ale

New Belgium Brewing Company
Fort Collins, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Red-brown, cola-colored. Tan head, thick with lots of fine bubbles, laces and lasts .

AROMA: 3.25/4
Hoppy nose, grassy, woody. Subtle roast, caramel sweetness.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Nice woody hop flavor. Deep caramel notes. Subtle roast, molasses. Good stuff.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Nicely bittered, offsets malty caramel notes. Falls out rather quickly.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Full mouth-feel, hop flavors tickle the tongue. Nicely carbonated, but could use more body.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Wow—good caramel flavors, a wintry brew for sure.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A pleasant surprise—dark and hoppy, a bit thin at the end, but a nice winter treat. Get it while it's around.
Ben: Every once in a while I find a New Belgium product that impresses me. This is one of them. Dark crystal malts add nice caramel flavors, and nicely hopped. Worth picking up a sixer.

Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Beautiful! Huge, creamy, rocky head. Laces & lasts. Deep copper color, clear and pretty.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Raisin-bready, lots of hop nose. Very floral, green and grassy.

TASTE: 9.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Woody, grassy, really malty. Lots of hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 3/3: Sweet up front, to woody notes, to hop bitterness that stays. Finishes bitter, perfect.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Nicely balanced, fills the mouth with woody, grassy hop.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A mouthful of hops! And a nice delivery system for it. Perfectly balanced, we like this beer. A LOT.

TOTAL: 18/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: Love this beer. Woody, hoppy, bitter and all perfectly balanced. Everything I love in a perfect fall package.

Ben: As close as you can get to picking hops off the vine and chewing them whole. Well-balanced, I'd definitely buy it again.

Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Gold color. Big foamy head that just implodes. Clear, steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Very clean, minimal aroma. Slight skunkiness (for lack of a better word) when we poured it that faded quickly (we may have gotten an old bottle). Subtly sweet.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Sweet, malty, very clean. Subtle grassy hop. Some sweet corn.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: A touch of hop bitterness at the finish, doesn't linger.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Falls out quickly. Medium-bodied, a session beer for sure.

OVERALL: 2/3: Good example of a Maibock. On par with Boulevard's Boss Tom's; well done for the style.

TOTAL: 14/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I have said many times that I'm not a huge fan of the Maibock, but if I did have a hankering for one, I'd reach for this one. Well done for what it is--it is a Sierra Nevada product, after all.

Ben: Typical Maibock--better than most, because it's Sierra Nevada, but typical for the style. A clean, light, sweet beer.

Odell St. Lupulin Extra Pale Ale

Odell Brewing Company
Fort Collins, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Pretty gold color, white head. Clear.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Grassy-citrusy-piney. Hop-dominant, floral, subtle sweetbread. Clean nose.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Really piney, with lots of floral flavor. Lemon peel up front.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter woodiness–pleasantly bitter. Slight sourness that sits on the outsides of the tongue.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Fairly light-bodied, very nicely carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.5/3
We're impressed! A floral, very pretty beer. Light yet hoppy yet citrusy, a great summer pale.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Always an Odell fan, and now I have a new favorite seasonal. Light-bodied, hoppy enough, with delightful flavors and aromas–get it while you can.
Ben: I sometimes forget about Odell–seems like a gateway brewer to me–but I've always been impressed with their lineup, and this lives up to those expectations. Very good.