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: *****

Torpedo Pilsner

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name:Torpedo Pilsner

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and FireStone Walker

• Style: Pilsner

• ABV: 5.2%

• IBU: 45

• Pour Color: Light golden color

      Upon pouring the face and I found it to be very heady and nice and golden. Easily seen thru. The head on this lasted for about half the glass before finally giving up to my follicles. The scent off the top was hoppy and yeasty. Nice tropical/piney scent off the top. The lager yeast was a small contribution to the bouquet. A sweet bready scent. The flavor is that of a strong dose of hops. Sweet meets up with piney tropical hops and really works well as a hoppy pilsner. If your looking for a Canadian pilsner then this one will just be to much for you. Really really good and delivers what it says it will!
      This pilsner is quite delicious. The hand in hand with firestone walker and sierra nevada suggests it will have a good hop flavor and ballance as both sierra and firestone know how to use hops. This pilsner delivers what you would expect and is nice and crisp. The flavors of the hops just make for a more refreshing taste then most pilsner. Having a lower ABV could have hurt it for the time i've let it age but that is not the case. A great beer that anyone would be lucky to find even now when it's not at it's optimal freshness. 

Rating: ****1/2

CANfusion

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: CANfusion

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and Oscar Blues

• Style: Rye Bock

• ABV: 6.8%

• IBU: 45

• Pour Color: A bronze color with a slightly more red hue.

      The rye bock was slightly over carbonated and exploded out of the can. A bronze slightly red hue to the pour. The head came up and met up with me as soon as the glass was lifted. The head disappeared quick once it tangled with me. The aroma was mostly malts. Slightly sweet lager scent with a slight presence. The hops come thru as a slight citrus scent. Not really much for the rye in the aroma. The flavor is quite sweet. It has a good flavor from the rye but not as spicy as I hoped. The hops are citrus and nice but not enough to balance out the flavor of this sweet bock beer. Wouldn't be one of my every day go tos.
      First review in awhile and the big number 200! Seems fitting that it just happens to be a oskar blues/ Sierra Nevada collaboration. Sorry I waited so long to open this beer camp. Most won't be able to find it now but me and the face found it while travling from NY to FL. Wish this one would have been a better one. Much sweeter then most bocks I've enjoyed and not as rye as I hoped. Really a good offering but not as great as I would hope from two of my favorite breweries. Hope one of my other ones in the box surprises me for a different reason. 

Rating: ***

Celebration Ale 2012

The Beer Stats: 

• Beer Name: Celebration Fresh Hop Ale 2012

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada Beer Company (California)

• Style: IPA

• ABV: 6.8%

• IBU: 65

• Pour Color: A nice amber orange color, Easily see through.

      The pour looked great on this one. The head was nice and fluffy and stayed that way for awhile. The color was a shade of amber. The scent off the top was strong and full of hop aroma. The pine and citrus hit you hard like most sierra beers. You only get a slight notes of the malts in it. The taste is a explosion on every follicle. The hop flavor is strong up front and bitter. The malts are there the whole ride and balance out that bitter well. Slightly dark bread flavor to those but also a slight sweetness. All and all one of my favorites for the holiday season.
      Sierra has a few seasonals that just make the year. This is one of em. A nice fresh hop beer that has a lot of hop character without being over bitter. The fresh hop flavor is there to. Bright and crisp making this one of the most refreshing beers ever. Being a hop loving mustache, like I am, this is a special Christmas season treat for me!

Rating: *****

Southern Hemisphere Harvest

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Southern Hemesphere Harvest (2012)

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada (California)

• Style: American IPA

• ABV: 6.7%

• IBU: 66

• Pour Color:A nice bronze color that has a hoppy haze through out!

      This beer poured a hazy bronze color. The head came up fluffy and high at least two fingers. That would hang out as a film most the glass. The scent off the glass is a sweet biscuit malt and a real grassy scent to the hops. The taste has a mix of malt and hop that is hard to declare a winner. The malts come through as a slightly sweet bread taste and the hops come through as a grassy citrus mix that is hard to beat. This one has a nice familiarity since I've tasted there pale ale but the hops on this one near more of a torpedo in taste. Amazing beer that you really get a fresh taste of hops off of. 
     This beer I heard about and had to get some. My follicles have been lucky enough to be bathed in a fresh hop beer that the Face crafted. Never have I had a fresh hop beer from a big name. The fact it's a IPA from Sierra Nevada got me even more excited. What a great beer and a great concept. Hope to be talking it up for a year before getting it again next summer!

Rating: *****

Hoptimum

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Hoptimum

• Brewery:Sierra Nevada brewing company (California)

• Style: Imperial IPA

• ABV: 10.4%

• IBU: 100

• Pour Color: A easily seen through orange golden color. 

      This beer has a nice color on pour. Looked to be more carbonated then most. The light passes through the glass easy. The head was small but lasted around the edge of the glass the whole beer. The scent is that of a bouquet of hops. Piney and grassy and somewhat floral too. The taste is bitter and hoppy for sure. It's really a firework display in hops. You get grassy tones, you get citrus tones, then you notice a pine. All of this is backed by a malt that has a super sweet taste that barely competes with so much bitter. An amazing hop summit that no one should pass up.

     If you hate hops then my choice in beers is probably a disappointment. This again will be one of those. This has the hop character of a Hop Stoopid yet a better balance of malts. While Hop Stoopid seems to go for a malt liquor feel this one has the class of a Sierra Nevada beer. Also Hoptimum is offered in 12 ounce bottles while you can only find 22 ounce bottles of Hop Stoopid. Sometimes a mustache can't take a imperial IPA for 22 ounces. All and all I would much rather have this one then most other Imperial IPAs. A great beer and another great hop fest from Sierra Nevada! 

Rating: *****

Summerfest 2012

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: SummerFest 2012

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada (California)
  

• Style: Pilsner

• ABV: 5%

• IBU:28

• Pour Color: Gold and very clear!

      The Face poured this one and it had a nice head. Lasted a good while for being a pilsner too. The color was a perfect golden color. The smell off the glass was a hop heavy brew. Not much of the malts came through on the sent. On taste though it was the opposite. A whole lot of malt and not really that strong of hops. You get a light pine and citrus tone but not much. A crisp and refreshing beer for summer cause it's fairly light. Worth a try for sure if your a pilsner drinker.
      This was a fairly average ale. I could easily compare it to Heineken actually. A fairly hoppy pilsner that really has a overall ballenced taste. This has a little more character with a heightened sweetness and hop character. It really seems to be looking for the same market as a Heineken though. This is a nice crisp ale that non-craft drinkers would love I think. 

Rating: ***1/2

Ruthless 2012

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Ruthless 2012

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada (California)

• Style: Rye IPA

• ABV: 6.6%

• IBU: 55

• Pour Color: A red very clear beer

      Sierra Nevada again, but you think this mustache is disappointed? The pour on this one was the color of a red ale. The head lasted about two sips before disappearing. The hops of this one on the other hand lasted much longer. It had a strong hop scent in the glass. The Ruthless had a much stronger malt flavor as you would expect. With the addition of the rye it almost seems bitterer then the torpedo. The torpedo seems, more crisp on the finish, while the Ruthless really had a lingering flavor. Another good beer from Sierra Nevada, but what else would you expect?
     This is an exceptional seasonal beer. Sierra Nevada has always been one of the Face's favorite breweries and this one is another reason why. If a local place had this on tap, it'd be a pleasure, to go back and forth between Ruthless and the Torpedo extra IPA.  
     


 Rating: ****1/2

Sierra Nevada Stout

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Sierra Nevada Stout

• Brewery:Sierra Navada Brewing (California)

• Style: Stout

• ABV: 5.8%

• IBU: 50

• Pour Color: A vary dark black, only a little light passes through.

      The head of this beer comes off creamy but not to thick. It's easy for the face to get this back out of me. The tastes of chocolate and coffee give you a strong bite in the beginning. The hops are definitely noticeable with a pine flavor that brings out the malts well. This is the kind of thick, bitter, but smooth tasting beer that's good to drink on those chilly winter nights.   

      Sierra Nevada has one of my favorite Extra IPA in it's torpedo. I also find their pale refreshing. This one however is a full bodied ale. This one doesn't just depend on that strong hop flavor to make it interesting. The malts give this one a real clean even taste. Even though the dark beers ain't my favorite this one isn't one I'd pass up.

Rating: ****