Electric Ray

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Electric Ray

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and Ballest Point

• Style: IPL

• ABV: 8.5

• IBU: 80

• Pour Color: A bronze color in the glass with light coming right thru!

       This one looked great in the glass. A golden slightly hazed bronze that really showed light thru. The scent off the glass was a strong piney and citrusy hops. The yeast smell I've come to expect from sierra beers in this pack also said hello. The head was actually quite fluffy and hung around for a good few sips. The taste was a nice balance of a slightly sweet malt bed with a fully floral hop presence. The flavor is that of a nice full bodied IPL that would be 5% not a big 8.5%.... The 70 IBU can get a IPA lover wondering if this is just a IPA.... Really a amazing beer to be had and maybe the best of this pack!
        Electric ray was the first beer that reminded me of the brewery it came from in collaboration not just produced by. Invasion from Ballest Point has a great hop character that really has it's own floral arrangement. This one had a lot more then just the ballenced approach of a pale. It also had very little back bone of malt at the end. One of the best parts of the invasion from Ballest Point. All and all though i have had few IPLs that live up to the India Pale name that they claim. This one does that and more!

Rating: *****

Double Latte

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Double Latte

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and Ninkasi Brewing Company

• Style: Milk Stout

• ABV: 7.6%

• IBU: 60

• Pour Color:Dark black color with no light getting thru.

       A big head came up on this beer and lasted most of the glass. A very formidable foe! A nice chocolate and coffee flavor comes through. A real dark color to this beer and even the head had a nice brown color. The body of the beer is richer but not as thick as I expected from a milk stout. Nice roasted flavor to the whole brew. The sweet character of the milk also comes through. A good milk stout and dark beer from a pack that really seems hop forward so far.
       First dark beer outta this pack and I was all sorts of excited. Every burly hair was waiting for the first sip. The head even when bested was leaving lacing down the whole glass. The mouth feel is the one thing that seemed wrong with this one. Yes it was thicker then most I feel it could have went heavier on that lactose sugar. Slightly creamy feel but just not enough for me. The coffee and roasted malts definitely came through clearly in this one. Really great beer but there and back is still number one in this pack!

Rating: ****1/2

Yonder Bock

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Yonder Bock

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and Cigar City

• Style: Tropical Maibock

• ABV: 7.7%

• IBU: 45

• Pour Color: A nice red to orange color

       Really nice red to orange color to this one that light went thru easily. A nice head at the start. I bested it in two or three sips. A nice hoppy almost papaya scent off the top. Slight scent of the yeast too. Really nice bouquet off this one. Really easy drinking for almost being a 8% beer. The yeast is a nice mellow bread flavor. Malts are a mellow caramel flavor that adds a nice sweet. The first hop flavor is in the mouth and goes through a fruit punch of flavors. Pineapple, mango, and apple really come thru most for me. The hops also come thru as a slightly bitter flavor in the swallow. Almost a lime flavor at the end. Sweet and flavor full each sip of this one. Much much more flavorful then most Maibocks I've tried. A really great beer in this box.
      Beer Camp got a little tropical flair in this one. Honestly one of my favorite Maibock. Much more hop forward then most Maibocks I've had and I think that's why i like it. It's also got such a wide variety of flavors that you can't just point out one as your favorite. Really an amazing beer to take a swim in for a glass or two!  

Rating: ****

Chico King

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Chico King

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and 3 Floyds

• Style: Pale Ale

• ABV: 6.5%

• IBU: 45

• Pour Color: A golden nearly red pour slightly hazy

      The head of this one held on for quite a few sips. A redish color to the pour that let light straight thru even with a slight hop haze. This is the first beer camp that left rings all the way down the glass as I sipped. The scent off the top is mostly flowery scented hops. A slight scent of the mix of yeast and hops is noticeable if you really try. The follicles frolicked in the resinous flowery hop flavor. A real mellow sweetness also come thru after swallowing. All and all a nice pale ale with a little more hop zip then usual.
      This beer really has a lot to live up to to beat a classic sierra pale. Most find the original pale as a gateway to craft beer and is really easy drinking. This is not that kind of pale. The hops are very prevalent and to a normal pale drinker would be over the top. As a hop head this isn't really a problem for this mustache. Yet this beer has little to no balance. It leaves me wishing that it just had a little more malt backing to even it out. Really really good almost IPA that would impress most beer drinkers. 

Rating: ***1/2

There and Back

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: There and Back

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and New Glarus

• Style: English Style Bitter

• ABV: 5.6%

• IBU: 40

• Pour Color: A very slightly hazed bronze color

      This one had a head that fought for just three sips. The color was a nice bonze that was fully see thru. A mellow scent of hops off the top. It almost has a pear scent. Tasting it you get a real range of flavors. Lemon and lime are mixed to make a nice bitter flavor. A slight sweetness of pears and a real mellow spice makes it easily palatable. The part that really gets me is the lingering on the pallet of those bitter parts. This really is a treat to taste and one of the best beers i've tasted from the pack.
      I have heard legend of New Glarus but never have had the pleasure. I'm really glad that Sierra decided to have a tour stop with New Glarus. An amazing beer that really makes me wonder what else is out there in ESBs. Honkers is the only bitter I've had consistently but after this one I may have a new style to explore more often. Really great beer!

Rating: *****