Sierra Nevada released their annual Beer Camp 12 pack box with three beers that stood out from the crowd of the past year’s Beer Camp creations. Beer Camp allows people to help create new beers in Sierra Nevada’s pilot brewery. This year’s box includes #93 IPA, #91 Belgian-Style Black IPA, and #95 Imperial Red Ale. Tonight Stephanie and I tried out the #91 IPA. We’ll get to the other two from the box soon.
Keith – When I poured this beer I got a small white fluffy head. It’s a pale sparkling golden color. The aroma is very floral.
Stephanie – I feel the aroma is piney, spicy, citrus, and grapefruit. I don’t get a heavy perfumy note. The head is white and fluffy.
Keith – I’m getting all those hop notes you described in the flavor, just not in the aroma. I like the blend of hops despite my distrust o fthe Citra hops they used. I often find Citra to taste too much like cat piss if not blended well w/ other contrasting hops. Sierra Nevada also does a good job of blending Citra in their Torpedo Extra IPA. They aren’t as successful in hiding the catty flavor of Citra in Hoptimum and their 20th Street Citra release tasted like a cat peed in it to me. I think they pulled it off here.
Stephanie – I am getting the floral perfume I missed in the aroma in the finish. Ahead of that is a giant piney grapefruit, then some resin, then flowery perfume. That dry perfumey finish in the mouthfeel almost always makes me want a chaser.
Keith – The highlight of this beer is the nice malt backbone. Once you get the past the big hops the malts remind me of a German pilsner. Nice and bready with just a hint of hay. That’s what comes through for me in the finish.
Stephanie – Boy, you crazy. The malt is there, but it isn’t touching that flower parade finish. Malt wise it is more reminiscent of the OG Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for me. There is a comfortable familiarity about it that makes it known: “this beer came from Sierra Nevada Brewing.”
Keith – Not everyone has as discerning a palate as I do. Or it could be the popcorn I’ve been eating. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes IPAs.
Stephanie – I would recommend this beer, although I’m not partial the floral hops. It is very drinkable and one of the friendlier IPAs I’ve had recently.
