Beer of the Weekend #912: Sierra Nevada Brut IPA
Brut IPA is the latest craft-beer fad. I’ve seen a few on the local beer shelves and decided it was high time to try some, so I picked one from a brewery that knows how to brew IPAs: Brut IPA, brewed by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company of Chico, California.
The color is mostly clear gold. It looks like champagne. A finger of bubbly, buttery, beige head does not stick around for long, leaving a skim and ring around the edge.
The aroma is grassy, earthy, citrusy, and tropical. It portends dryness. It’s yeasty and vinous with a scent of green grapes. It has a saison-like funkiness too, which appeals to me. The citrus is elusive at first, but scents of orange, grapefruit, and pineapple emerge.
The flavor is complex, layered, and very dry, reminiscent of a Japanese lager. An earthy bitterness with touches of grass or hay work and linger on the taste buds. Underneath are flavors of citrus (mostly grapefruit at first but increasing amounts of orange and tropical fruit), yeast, vinous grapes, and a peppery, saison-like funk. The funk dissipates as the beer warms, and it becomes a dry version of Sierra Nevada’s flagship IPA. It is tasty and pleasant. The label says the beer is intriguing, and it is a very fitting description.
Fun facts about Sierra Nevada Brut IPA:
• Style: American Brut IPA. What is Brut IPA? According to the Sierra Nevada website, it’s “a new take on IPA brewed for a bone dry champagne-style finish. Late hop additions give the beer balanced bitterness and a bright pop of citrus flavor. It’s as intriguing as it is drinkable” (https://sierranevada.com/beer/seasonal/brut-ipa).
• Price: $8.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 6.2 percent ABV.
• IBU: 25.
• Calories: 186 per 12-ounces (estimate).
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
The color is mostly clear gold. It looks like champagne. A finger of bubbly, buttery, beige head does not stick around for long, leaving a skim and ring around the edge.
The aroma is grassy, earthy, citrusy, and tropical. It portends dryness. It’s yeasty and vinous with a scent of green grapes. It has a saison-like funkiness too, which appeals to me. The citrus is elusive at first, but scents of orange, grapefruit, and pineapple emerge.
The flavor is complex, layered, and very dry, reminiscent of a Japanese lager. An earthy bitterness with touches of grass or hay work and linger on the taste buds. Underneath are flavors of citrus (mostly grapefruit at first but increasing amounts of orange and tropical fruit), yeast, vinous grapes, and a peppery, saison-like funk. The funk dissipates as the beer warms, and it becomes a dry version of Sierra Nevada’s flagship IPA. It is tasty and pleasant. The label says the beer is intriguing, and it is a very fitting description.
Fun facts about Sierra Nevada Brut IPA:
• Style: American Brut IPA. What is Brut IPA? According to the Sierra Nevada website, it’s “a new take on IPA brewed for a bone dry champagne-style finish. Late hop additions give the beer balanced bitterness and a bright pop of citrus flavor. It’s as intriguing as it is drinkable” (https://sierranevada.com/beer/seasonal/brut-ipa).
• Price: $8.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 6.2 percent ABV.
• IBU: 25.
• Calories: 186 per 12-ounces (estimate).
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
