Dogfish Head-Sierra Nevada Life and Limb Rhizing Bines

I received a bottle of Dogfish Head-Sierra Nevada Life and Limb Rhizing Bines from Dogfish Head and poured it into one of the new IPA glasses. The beer pours a golden color with a very lofty and frothy off-white colored head that leaves a think but nicely patterned lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of pepper, fresh cut grass, wheat, light hints of caramel, and a pungent hop oil. Orange, apricot, and tangerine provide subtle accents as well. The taste is bitter and hop-forward with lemon, pine, pepper, and grass flavor all coating the tongue with an oily residue. A solid malty backbone provides support for this beer, a little more so than I expected. It has has a light wheat taste white somewhat bridges the gap between the bitter and the sweet by adding a light dryness. Tangerine, orange, passion fruit, apricot, and pineapple give the a noticeable fruity character. On the finish, oily residue is left behind on the tongue with a pronounced bitterness. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. Overall, this beer wasn’t as bitter as I had expected, but it was definitely a hop-forward with with plenty of hop profile. It has a quite refreshing quality about it while driving home hop oils that linger.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Carolina Dreamin'

While at Pisgah Brewing in Asheville for my bachelor party, I had the opportunity to try the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp beer that was brewed with the local breweries called Carolina Dreamin’. The beer pours a brown color with a frothy beige colored head. The aroma consists of cherry, caramel, and raisin. The taste is smooth with cherry, chocolate, and raisin. A light alcohol bite arrives on the finish and leaves a dry after taste. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. I enjoyed this red wheatwine, as it provided a sweet beer that was delicately balanced with alcohol and dry hops.

Sierra Nevada-Russian River Brux

My buddy Matt brought over a bottle of the Sierra Nevada-Russian River collaboration Brux. The beer pours a golden color with a thin filmy white colored head. The aroma consists of banana, clove, grass, pepper, and brett. The taste is light bodied and grassy with a strong pepper presence. There is a light brett funk with some hay and barnyard flavor. The base is built upon a caramel flavor that is light and not overpowering. The alcohol content is 8.3% ABV. If you are expecting a big time sour beer, this will not deliver. It has a nice funky flavor with a solid base and was quite delicious.

Sierra Nevada Knock on Wood Bourbon Imperial Stout

While at Varga Bar in Philadelphia, I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada Knock on Wood Bourbon Imperial Stout. The beer pours a black color with a frothy tan head that leaves a thin bubble lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of chocolate, lots of vanilla, oak, chili peppers, and toasted malts. The taste is full of dark chocolate and a large amount of vanilla. This beer isn’t sweet, but nice, smooth, and lightly bitter. On the finish, a light bit of heat comes from the chili peppers, but it doesn’t linger very long. The alcohol content is 9.2% ABV. This was an excellent beer with a bold chocolate flavor that was nicely balanced with chili peppers, all while hiding the alcohol content rather well.

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye

I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye from Al’s of Hampden after previously having it, but not having the chance to review it. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of lemon, caramel, pine, and rye. The taste is fresh and refreshing with lemon and pine making a strong appearance. There is a nice rye bitterness on the finish and some grassy hops lingering in the background. The alcohol content is 6.6% ABV. I was quite impressed with the Ruthless Rye and how refreshing it was, all while having a great bitterness of rye and hops to keep my tongue entertained.

Sierra Nevada-Abbey of New Clairvaux Ovila Quad

I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada-Abbey of New Clairvaux collaboration Ovila Quad at Al’s Pub in Enola while watching my buddy Nathan perform live. The beer pours a dark brown color with a thin filmy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of raisins, caramel, pepper, fig, and grass. The taste is smooth and sweet with lots of malts, chocolate, raisin, fig, and red grapes. There is a yeasty finish with toasted malts, coffee, cherry coming out as well. The after taste is dry and smoky. The alcohol content is 10.4% ABV. Of the three Ovila series beer, this one was my favorite, as it was a delicious beer but extremely complex. IT actually is one of the better Quads that I have tried.

Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale

I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale on a recent visit to Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours an amber color with a bubbly white head. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, orange, and pine. The taste is bitter and dry with lots of citrus including orange, grapefruit, and tangerine. There is a pepper and pine finish, with hints of toffee lingering behind. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV. I really enjoyed the Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale, but I would say that I preferred the Southern Hemisphere version from Sierra Nevada a little bit more. However, if you love bitter and citrusy hops, this is the perfect beer for you.

Sierra Nevada-Abbey of New Clairvaux Ovila Saison

At Giant Eagle in Pittsburgh, I picked up a bottle of Sierra Nevada-Abbey of New Clairvaux Ovila Saison, the second in the collaboration series. The beer pours a yellow-gold color with an extremely lofty and foamy head the hangs around for a while and leaves a tiny bit of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, pepper, wheat, and grass. The taste is smooth with a nice lemon flavor, similar to lemon squares, with pepper and grass hops accents the sweetness. There is a hint of cream on the finish and the after taste leaves some dirt flavor behind in the mouth. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV. This was a clean saison that I thoroughly enjoyed with wonderful lemon and pepper flavors. The finish was the best part that really made it an earthy brew.

Sierra Nevada Tumbler

While at Al’s of Hampden, I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada Tumbler. The beer pours a dark brown color with a thin filmy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of caramel, toasted malts, and coffee grinds. The taste is dry with toasted malts and a bit of coffee lurking in the background. There is a caramel backbone and the after taste has some grassy hops. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV. The Tumbler is a different brown ale, as it isn't as malty as most. Overall, it is more dry and roasty, but still quite delicious.

Sierra Nevada-Dogfish Head Limb and Life Volume 2

When I returned to the Dogfish Head Brewpub for the Life and Limb Volume 2 tapping, they also had the other Sierra Nevada collaboration Limb and Life Volume 2 on tap, so I decided to give it a try. The beer pours an amber color with a thin filmy off-white head. The aroma consists of light maple syrup, caramel, coffee, and spruce. The taste is malty with caramel notes and light coffee accents. There is some maple flavor that makes up the dry finish. In a way, this beer almost reminds me of an Oktoberfest. The alcohol content is 4.8% ABV. I liked how light and refreshing the beer was, and considering it was sessionable, it could be drank all day. However, if both beers are on tap at the same time, I am steering my order to the Life and Limb first.

Sierra Nevada-Dogfish Head Life and Limb Volume 2

While in Ocean City, Dogfish Head tweeted that they had just tapped their collaboration with Sierra Nevada, Life and Limb Volume 2. I previously had the first version, but I was rather excited to see this beer on taps again. The beer pours a black color with a thin tan head. The aroma consists of maple, birch, chocolate, coffee, and toasted malts. The taste is smooth and sweet with lots if maple on the front end before some toasted malts, coffee, and chocolate come to light. There is a biting and bubbly finish. The alcohol content is 10.2% ABV. I recall this beer being just as good as the first batch with its wonderful maple flavor. This was the first time I had the beer on tap and I hope to acquire a bottle or two for my cellar.

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Harvest

I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Harvest from Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours a caramel color with a frothy white head. The aroma consists of the expected fresh hops, lemon, pine, rain, and caramel. The taste is sweet with lots of caramel as a base and a great lemon flavor which is similar to lemon cake. There is a pine and pepper finish that dries out the tongue. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV. I’m not going to lie, I love fresh hops. With the Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Harvest, Sierra Nevada found a way to bring a fresh hop beer at another time during the year, and I want to thank them for that. The lemon flavors in this beer were unreal and overly enjoyable, and the aroma was heavenly.

Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp California Common

As part of the Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp sampler case, I opened a bottle of the California Common. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white head that leaves some lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of sweet malts, wheat, and a light peppery hop accent. The taste is bitter on the front end with lemon and peppery hops with a twist of pine all built upon a caramel and wheat base. The alcohol content is 6.5% ABV. Overall, this is a wonderful beer that has a nice sweet balance, but is quite bitter and hoppy for the common style.

Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp Weizenbock

One of the beers out of the Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp sampler packs was the Weizenbock. The beer pours an opaque orange-tinted golden color with a lofty and frothy white head. The aroma consists of wheat and lemon with a hint of pepper and grassy hops. The taste is smooth and sweet with a creamy mouth feel, lots of lemon flavor, earthy and grassy hops, and a hint of orange. The finish has a little dry pepper bite to it, but is quite enjoyable. The alcohol content is 6.8% ABV. This was a smooth and nicely sweet with great citrus flavors, creamy mouth feel, and a refreshing experience.

Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp Juniper Black Ale

As part of the Best of Beer Camp sampler pack I picked up from Sierra Nevada, I tried the Juniper Black Ale. The beer pours a black color with a lofty, creamy, foamy, and tan colored head that resembles a stout more than an ale. The aroma consists of chocolate, juniper, coffee, and pine. The taste is dry and piny at first with lots of hops and a lemon bitterness before some chocolate, coffee, and toasted malts arrive on the palate. The after taste leave coffee and dry juniper leaves at the back of the throat. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. The dryness of this beer was immaculate and it was accompanied with plenty of flavors, include dry and bitter chocolate.

Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp Double IPA

I picked up a case of Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp for poker, and the first beer I had was the Double IPA. The beer pours an amber color with a lofty frothy white head that laces to the glass. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, passion fruit, lemon, and pine. The taste is smooth and sweet with caramel and sugar at first before the hop bitterness kicks in and dries the tongue. It leaves citrus flavors of tangerine, orange, grapefruit, and orange before a bit of pine arrives. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV. This was a solid Double IPA to come out of Beer Camp, and I really enjoyed the citrus notes as well as the slight sweetness.

Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale

My buddy Matt brought over a bottle of Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale that he picked up at Wegman’s. The beer pours a a golden color with a frothy white head that leaves minimal lacing on the glass. The aroma is full of caramel with fresh lemon and pine hops. The taste is smooth and sweet with plenty of caramel. There is a wonderful fresh pine and lemon hop accents that also brings out some tangerine and grapefruit. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV. I completely enjoyed the caramel sweetness in this beer balanced nicely with the citrus and pine hops. All in all, the freshness made this beer, and it was evident.

Sierra Nevada Glissade

I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada Glissade from McGrath’s in downtown Harrisburg. The beer pours a golden color with a thin bubbly white head. The aroma is faint but pine and hops peek through with a light caramel base. The taste is butterscotch with pale malts, fresh hops, caramel, and a bitter pine finish. The alcohol content is 7.2% ABV. I thought this was a solid and decent beer, but not excellent or overly experimental. There is nothing wrong with being a solid beer, and I probably would drink this beer again.

Sierra Nevada-New Clairvaux Ovila Dubbel

I picked up a bottle of the Sierra Nevada and The Abbey of New Clairvaux Ovila Dubbel from Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours an orange/dark amber color with a lofty off-white colored head that dissipates rather rapidly. The aroma consists of sweet malts, raisin, Belgian yeast, and bread. The taste is smooth with Belgian yeast, raisin, fig, dates, and a big bready profile. You can definitely pick up on the Sierra Nevada influence in the finish with earthy hops. The mouth feel is very light and foamy with lots of carbonation. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. The Ovila Dubbel is a very solid dubbel with a great earthy hop accent, taking a solid Belgian style beer and adding a slight American twist to it.

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

I picked up a bottle of Sierra Nevada Hoptimum from Al’s of Hampton, and was very excited to try it. The beer pours an orange-amber color with a lofty and frothy off-white head. The aroma consists of fresh pine hops with lemon on top of a caramel backbone. The taste is smooth with caramel at first before the hop oils take over the tongue, dry it out, and leave a delicious lemon, grapefruit, and pine flavor behind. These oils do not subside quickly and linger on the tongue for several minutes of enjoyment. The alcohol content is 10.4% ABV. The Hoptimum was a wonderful beer that oozes with hop oil and a wonderful, fresh pine and citrus flavors.