Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Brewer's Choice Grand Cru

I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Brewer's Choice Grand Cru while at Bocktown in Pittsburgh. The beer pours an amber color with a filmy white head. The aroma is sweet and malty with caramel, pineapple, and grapefruit. The taste is sweet with caramel and toffee before a dry lemon and grapefruit flavor kicks in. Hints of pineapple linger on the tongue. The after taste is dry and warming, which was perfect for a cold winter night. The alcohol content is 9.2% ABV. Of the four 30th Anniversary beers, the Brewer's Choice shot right to the top of the list with its well balanced citrus and caramel flavors. And even with the sweetness, the beer dries out on the finish and warms up your throat.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Jack and Ken's Ale

I stopped into Al's of Hampden to order a glass of Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary- Jack and Ken's Ale, a barleywine. The beer pours a dark brown color with a thin filmy head. The aroma consists of toasted malts, raisins, alcohol, and chocolate. The taste is sweet and smooth with lots of toasted malts, raisin, and chocolate. The beer then transitions into a big alcohol bite with a pine hop kick. There is a dry and bitter finish and after taste. The alcohol content is 10.2% ABV. This offering is a top notch barleywine and I wish this beer would be available full time. The amount of flavor that comes through is excellent, and it is not masked by the alcohol content, which can be dangerous.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Charlie, Fred & Ken's Bock

I picked up a bottle of Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Charlie, Fred & Ken's Bock from Brass Rail in Campbelltown. The style of the beer is an Imperial Helles Bock. The beer pours an orange amber color with a lofty and foamy off-white colored head. The aroma is sweet and malty with a caramel undertone and a light hop hint. The taste is smooth and malty, and also very sweet. There is a lot of caramel flavor in this one and it has a faint hop bite on the finish that has a pepper bite. The alcohol content is 8.3% ABV. This version definitely wasn't as watered down as some bocks can taste, but is on the sweeter side of beers. I did enjoy drinking this beer, but a few more hops may have helped balance out the sweetness just a bit. However, sour hops took over the flavor a bit once the beer warmed up and balanced the sweetness a bit.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Fritz and Ken's Ale

I picked up a bottle of Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Fritz and Ken's Ale from Al's of Hampden. This beer brought in Fritz Maytag from Anchor Brewing Company to celebrate Sierra Nevada's anniversary. The beer pours a deep black color with a lofty foamy tan head. The aroma is filled with chocolate, coffee, and a light hint of hops. The taste is powerful with chocolate and alcohol on the front end. The beer finishes smooth and creamy with a coffee and hop bite. The alcohol content is 9.2% ABV. The beer drinks really smooth and is extremely tasty, making it somewhat dangerous with its high alcohol content. However, go out and grab a bottle if you love chocolate and coffee, but even more if you love to celebrate great brewers.