Sierra Nevada Christmas Jam 2013

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.   Chico, CA

Notes:

Session IPA

22oz Bottle

4.2% ABV

Appearance:  Pours a nice caramel brown with hints of ruby red…head is a nice mix of big and small bubbles and is an off white in color…stays consistently pinky thick…the brew is fairly transparent, I can see a few bubbles in action in the middle…good lookin’…(3.75/5)

Smell:  A very balanced smell right off the bat…I pick up some grassy bitterness, caramel malts, mango, papaya, yeast…just the lightest hint peppery ryeness…kinda has a bit of a syrupy aroma deep in there…complex, while still being light…(3.75/5)

Taste:  Yum! I’m getting rich hoppy flavor, mild bitterness balanced nicely with plenty of malts…hops are earthy, piney and bring a touch of tropical fruit citrus/sweetness…malts come in very pale and earthy, and have a bit of peppery bite to them…not a lot, but just enough to roughen up the bitterness in the finish…there’s also a hint of yeast here…a nice blend of malt and grassiness close this brew out…yum! (4/5)

Mouthfeel:  Light to medium body…medium carbonation fluffs up bringing rich hops flavor and earthy/caramel malts to the palate…not overly bitter, but it does register…has a creamy, dry hopped feel…after taste is really where the bitterness rests, with a light grassy, earthy, piney mix…(4/5)

Overall:  This is a wonderful brew, I appreciate a session ale having tons of flavor…with it’s lower ABV, for sure this is a brew I could drink all day and still keep my wits…all while satisfying my cravings for hops…it’s really the perfect brew for an all weekend concert series or hanging out in the yard with the dog and some projects…if you see this limited edition ale, definitely pick one up for that Saturday afternoon when a beer would round out a session of football nicely…(4/5)

Score:

(3.91/5)