Every time I drink something from Sierra Nevada, I always feel like their beers from one to the next don’t taste that dissimilar. Maybe it’s because everything I’ve had has been in the same general style vicinity…their Pale Ale, Celebration Ale, Anniversary Ale, and now the 12th Release Harvest Wet Hop Ale. It’s not that they make bad beer. I mean, give me a break. They basically started the craft beer revolution. On the contrary, all their stuff is usually pretty solid. But also pretty “safe”, in my opinion. Maybe I’ll change my opinion if I try some of their other stuff, like their Bigfoot Barleywine.
This one pours with an interesting orangey color. Pretty good head. Decent hop aroma, which is what I’d expect from a wet-hopped ale.
So what about this wet hopping…the 12th Release is one of three offerings in their Harvest Wet Hop series. Could I discern a noticeable difference from the wet hops? Not really. I was expecting a little more aroma and hoppy bitterness given the lengths they go on the bottle to describe how they fly in fresh hops from Yakima, Washington picked the day before, and dump them right into their awaiting kettles. Kind of like those over-priced sushi restaurants in the Midwest that make a big deal about exotic fish flown in on ice that were caught the day before somewhere in the Pacific. Because after all, who wants Walleye Sashimi?
Overall, pretty balanced taste with a prickly amount of carbonation. It’s fairly hoppy to be sure, but nothing that legitimately stood out compared to their year-round Pale Ale, despite their best hopping efforts. Sorry Sierra Nevada.
Rating: B
October 28, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Glad you mention this. I always feel the exact same way! I feel like all of their beers are B+ quality pale ale/IPA hybrids that are almost indistinguishable. In fact, I can’t even remember if I’ve had this beer. But, yes, the Big Foot is one exception–in a class by itself.
October 29, 2008 at 10:20 am
Sierra Nevada bottle conditions their Pale Ale, and I’ve been meaning to try and culture a yeast sample to make a clone some day. I also have a couple pounds of Cascade hops in the freezer, mine as well put them to good use.
December 6, 2008 at 5:51 pm
[…] falling somewhere in the middle of the IPA and Double IPA spectrum. 7.4% ABV with 70 to 80 IBUs. I’ve said before that while I give Sierra their hard-earned due as one of the breweries that has paved the way for […]
February 18, 2009 at 8:54 pm
[…] As I’ve mentioned a handful of times previously on this blog, Sierra Nevada — while of course highly deserving of the respect they’ve earned as one of the pioneers of the U.S. craft beer industry – has generally underwhelmed me with most of their stuff. And underwhelmed might not even be the right descriptor. How about failed to blow me away…predictably and safely impressed. Their Pale Ale is a very good beer…clean, bright and full of Cascade hops. As one of the first beers of its kind back in the early 1980’s, I can only imagine what folks must have thought of it. Original, innovative, groundbreaking. But compared to what’s coming out today from folks like DFH, Surly, Three Floyds and many others, Sierra Nevada has generally stayed the course with their archetypal ales. […]