2008 marks the 28th anniversary of one of America’s oldest and most celebrated craft breweries, Sierra Nevada. In order to celebrate their anniversary every year, Sierra releases an “Anniversary Ale,” a nicely hopped American IPA which, according to the label, “features Cascade hops.” It certainly does, and in the process, Sierra succeeds yet again in creating a complex, tasty, and sessionable brew that comes to you fresh wherever you are, if you catch it fast enough. As soon as T-Bone and i saw a sixer of this at a local “beer store,” we had to grab it for the work fridge. We like to drink a brew at the end of a long work day, as it lubricates us properly for the train ride home, and this is a contender for our best selection for this honored role yet. Instead of reviewing this beer after having one or two out of a glass, I’m reviewing it after having four in the bottle. I did pour a little bit into a tiny plastic cup at work to check out the color, a beautiful amber that was sparkling and looked ruby-like in the light. Bittered with Chinook and finished and dry-hopped with Cascades, Sierra is here showing off its ability to create intriguing hop profiles, emphasizing those used in their signature Pale Ale. The maltiness of the Anniversary Ale is bolder than some of their other offerings, and with an amped up bitterness quotient as well, this makes for a bigger but still incredibly drinkable beer. Sierra’s seasonal offerings are always outstanding and this is no exception. Far from an ordinary Pale Ale, this is a complex and very refreshing beer for late summer, which pours and smells like a glass of Fall.
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