Beer of the Weekend #94: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Greetings from the rustic lounge at John Muir Lodge. A fire is going, many of the guests are taking advantage of the wi-fi (really roughing it, ya know?), and an old Texan is telling friends about a buddy of his taking a dump on a fishing trip. Awesome.
The restaurant in Grant Grove Village had a so-so beer selection (their assortment of wine looked impressive, of course, but I’m only judging on the number of bottles they had in the rack; never ask a beer lover to judge wine). The usual domestic swill was available, as well as Pilsner Urquell, Moosehead (which was impressive), and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I thought, “Well, when in the Sierra Nevada’s, drink Sierra Nevada.” (We are, in fact, in the southern part of the range.) So the beer of the weekend (this vacation weekend, when I’m not supposed to give a shit about sampling) is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale brewed by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company of Chico, California.
I was a little unsure what to expect. I’ve had SNPA before, but it was about the worst beer experience I’ve ever had. It’s a favorite of my uncle’s, and I bought him a six-pack for helping me out a couple years ago. I tried one as we sat and chatted. It tasted like drinking cigarette butts (I think I wrote exactly that on “The beers of my youth” post). I don’t know if it was because I’d drank something darker just before and hadn’t cleansed my palette (these were still amateurish days of my beer connoisseurship), but I was very put off. So when I saw it on the menu tonight my instinct was to stay as far away as possible. However, I went out on a ledge and decided to give it another shot. In case I didn’t like it, my mom ordered a Pilsner Urquell as a back-up (which she drank and liked). I wrote my review on a napkin and I’ve transcribed my notes below.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle.
Appearance: Clear deep gold. About two fingers of off-white head.
Smell: Tangerine or grapefruit citrus. Just like a pale ale.
Taste: Sweet, almost sour grapefruit. A little caramel. A well-balanced hop bite at the end.
Drinkability: Not like what I remember; no cigarette butts this time. A very good brew for a meal in the Sierra Nevada’s. It’s true to a style which is not my favorite.
Fun facts about SNPA:
-Price: $4.50/bottle (keep in mind it was at a restaurant with no competition in town). Yeah. When my dad gawks at prices I say, “Welcome to California.”
-Serving temperature: 40-45°F. That should be the temperature here in the morning. I love nature’s walk-in cooler.
-Alcohol content: 5.6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends “pan-Asian” cuisine; earthy, nutty, and tangy cheeses; and salad and poultry. I had it with grilled eggplant, which made for an acceptable pairing.
-IBU: 37.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
The restaurant in Grant Grove Village had a so-so beer selection (their assortment of wine looked impressive, of course, but I’m only judging on the number of bottles they had in the rack; never ask a beer lover to judge wine). The usual domestic swill was available, as well as Pilsner Urquell, Moosehead (which was impressive), and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I thought, “Well, when in the Sierra Nevada’s, drink Sierra Nevada.” (We are, in fact, in the southern part of the range.) So the beer of the weekend (this vacation weekend, when I’m not supposed to give a shit about sampling) is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale brewed by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company of Chico, California.
I was a little unsure what to expect. I’ve had SNPA before, but it was about the worst beer experience I’ve ever had. It’s a favorite of my uncle’s, and I bought him a six-pack for helping me out a couple years ago. I tried one as we sat and chatted. It tasted like drinking cigarette butts (I think I wrote exactly that on “The beers of my youth” post). I don’t know if it was because I’d drank something darker just before and hadn’t cleansed my palette (these were still amateurish days of my beer connoisseurship), but I was very put off. So when I saw it on the menu tonight my instinct was to stay as far away as possible. However, I went out on a ledge and decided to give it another shot. In case I didn’t like it, my mom ordered a Pilsner Urquell as a back-up (which she drank and liked). I wrote my review on a napkin and I’ve transcribed my notes below.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle.
Appearance: Clear deep gold. About two fingers of off-white head.
Smell: Tangerine or grapefruit citrus. Just like a pale ale.
Taste: Sweet, almost sour grapefruit. A little caramel. A well-balanced hop bite at the end.
Drinkability: Not like what I remember; no cigarette butts this time. A very good brew for a meal in the Sierra Nevada’s. It’s true to a style which is not my favorite.
Fun facts about SNPA:
-Price: $4.50/bottle (keep in mind it was at a restaurant with no competition in town). Yeah. When my dad gawks at prices I say, “Welcome to California.”
-Serving temperature: 40-45°F. That should be the temperature here in the morning. I love nature’s walk-in cooler.
-Alcohol content: 5.6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends “pan-Asian” cuisine; earthy, nutty, and tangy cheeses; and salad and poultry. I had it with grilled eggplant, which made for an acceptable pairing.
-IBU: 37.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
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