Beer Review: Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale 2009
Overall Score: 91 (out of 100)
I poured Anniversary Ale into a standard pint glass. The color is gleaming bright copper, with a thick, billowing head. The aroma is pungent with pine (Chinook hops) and citrus (Cascade hops) notes...with some honey/caramel from the malt as well.
First taste is a burst of sharp pine...strong but not abrasive, which immediately mellows into a rich malty backbone. Nearly as quickly (I find myself attempting to sip but quaffing rather quickly ) , it finishes with a bluster of grapefruit courtesy of the Cascade hops. If this were a blind taste test, one could immediately identify this as a Sierra Nevada product. The classic pine/citrus combo is perfectly balanced by the richness of Munich malt...the perfect proportion has been added, just enough to support the hops...not enough to detract from them. This is the classic "old school" west coast microbrew...bold but balanced. It is earthy, raw, and flavorful yet refined and elegant at the same time. A beer with no obvious flaws and which each sip (or gulp!) begs for another.
At 5.9% ABV and a relatively tame 46 IBUs, this doesn't get caught up in the trendy pissing contest to see what IPA can be the most bitter or most alcoholic. It is flavorful but knows and understands the beauty of restraint, allowing one to savor its flavor without destroying one's senses.
Anniversary Ale shares the same ubiquitous quality as other Sierra Nevada offerings...it is an unpretentious, uncomplicated, simply great beer that isn't afraid to just be itself. That, my friends, is something I can drink to. Highly recommended.
Beer: Anniversary Ale 2009
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: American IPA
ABV: 5.9%
Score: 91 (out of 100)
Published by Brandon Myers
Oh, I'm just me. View profile
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5 Comments
Post a CommentGreat review. Sounds like they passed your test! :-)
I'm not a big fan of IPAs, but it sounds like I may have to give this one a try!
Great review! I'll pass this along to my hubby--he's the beer drinker in this house. :) And, about your comment on my camping article: Yes, I really did hook a fish in the eye, but it's not something I want to write about! Makes me feel sad and icky...
Great review, but I'm not much of a fan of beer. Thanks for the info.
"The 2009 batch was just been released." Perhaps I shouldn't drink it while writing! D'oh!!!