What's with all the Sierra Nevada Pale hate?

[korndog]

No offense but, when it comes to beer, LA isn't really on the West Coast IYKWIM.

Is that you Yogi?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Yeah, I think brewery count isn't the only discerning factor for me. The homebrew club/shop availability and pub selection hasn't given me a reason to complain. Also, so many breweries are within a stone's throw of LA, at least in terms of distribution (especially San Diego), that I've been more than content.

Well sure, we have access to great beer here. It's just that virtually none of it is made here!

People are probably sick of me raving about it, but San Francisco: THAT is a great beer town! I love just drifting from brewpub to brewpub, enjoying a pint or two at each place. SF Brewing Company, Magnolia, 21st Amendment, Rogue Ales, etc. Furthermore, it's hard to find a bar or restaurant that doesn't offer a huge variety of microbrews, both local and otherwise...it's just part of the culture there.

 

[bob1852]

I'm confused - where's the "hate" on SNPA? Seems like most folks on this board not only like the beer, but respect the brewery...

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

I don't drink SNPA that often, but then again I don't drink much commercial beer anymore. It must be the 40 gallons of kegged homebrew in my garage . But, back in high school it was THE beer...every kegger had at least one keg of SNPA, and usually a keg of stout or wheat to go along with it. The only people I ever hear that have a "hate" for it are the BMC crowd...but they aren't exactly the target audience for craft brew now are they?

The only complaint about Sierra Nevada that I have is that they don't put out ENOUGH of a variety. I know they have an insane amount of time and space dedicated to just producing pale ale to satisfy demand, but I wish they bottled more of their "specials". Their Saison, Dunkleweizen, Rauchbier, and Kolsch are some great beers that I wish they would have bottled. But, Ken is sticking with what works and what keeps the brewery not only running, but thriving. He's got a different MO than most micros, which is to widely distribute just a few very good beers. And in that I think he succeeds wildly. I just wish they would do more limited runs of some of the stuff from the pilot brewery in 24 oz. bottles.

 

[heinz57]

LA really is a dark spot when it comes to breweries. They're starting to get better bars, but for a city of that size, it is kind of sad. There's so much good happening on this coast, and for some reason, all of LA is a wasteland.

Sorry to go off topic a bit, but I don't think it's as barren a wasteland as many think.

Skyscraper Brewing
Angel City Brewing
The Bruery (Ok it's Orange County, but it's a quick drive and damn fine beer)
Bootlegger's Brewery(Still Orange County, but close enough)
Craftsman Brewing Company
and while it's not quite open yet the Eagle Rock Brewery

I was able to try the offerings of several of the operational breweries listed above at the LA beer fest this passed weekend, and there is some good beer coming out of these breweries. Of course there is the good with the bad, but the point is that LA is developing local offerings. Granted, it is going to be extremely difficult for any of these breweries to develop the followings that so many west coast breweries have amassed, but I really enjoy the fact that there are some pretty good local options.

I'm definitely a fan of Sierra Nevada though. I think you might have run into a select few people who really dislike it. The common negative comment I hear about their pale ale has to do with the bitterness. I've never come across the piss beer reference though, that's pretty funny.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Sorry to go off topic a bit, but I don't think it's as barren a wasteland as many think.

Skyscraper Brewing
Angel City Brewing
The Bruery (Ok it's Orange County, but it's a quick drive and damn fine beer)
Bootlegger's Brewery(Still Orange County, but close enough)
Craftsman Brewing Company
and while it's not quite open yet the Eagle Rock Brewery

While I'm not ready to include Orange County under the Los Angeles umbrella (that's a LONG schlep for a glass of beer!) I'll confess that I've never heard of Skyscraper or Craftsman. The Laurel Tavern is a new place not too far from my office, apparently they serve beer from both breweries. I'll have to check it out after work one evening. Thanks for the info!

 

[BrewBrain]

I love SNPA and ALL of the beers I've ever tried from that brewery. That's one outfit that's got beer figured out IMO.

Plus, best homebrew bottles available. Especially the short, squatty 24 ouncers that actually fit on the fridge shelf

 

[heinz57]

While I'm not ready to include Orange County under the Los Angeles umbrella (that's a LONG schlep for a glass of beer!) I'll confess that I've never heard of Skyscraper or Craftsman. The Laurel Tavern is a new place not too far from my office, apparently they serve beer from both breweries. I'll have to check it out after work one evening. Thanks for the info!

Anytime Lars. Just doing my part to spread the word for the new guys.

That new bar of yours looks like a local beer extravaganza. I should stop in there myself sometime. I forgot to mention The Great Beer Company and their Hollywood Blonde Kolsch style ale. I've never had it, but I've heard it's pretty tasty.

 

[korndog]

Anytime Lars. Just doing my part to spread the word for the new guys.

That new bar of yours looks like a local beer extravaganza. I should stop in there myself sometime. I forgot to mention The Great Beer Company and their Hollywood Blonde Kolsch style ale. I've never had it, but I've heard it's pretty tasty.

Hollywood Blonde was created by a member of Lars and my homebrew club. Her name is Maribieth Raines, and she is a legendary brewer and expert on culturing yeast and all things beery. Yes, Hollywood Blonde is pretty tasty, but she is not involved in quality control anymore so, Caveat Emptor.

 

[heinz57]

Hollywood Blonde was created by a member of Lars and my homebrew club. Her name is Maribieth Raines, and she is a legendary brewer and expert on culturing yeast and all things beery. Yes, Hollywood Blonde is pretty tasty, but she is not involved in quality control anymore so, Caveat Emptor.

The club you speak is the one that informed me it was quite tasty.

I didn't know she wasn't involved anymore though, good to know.

 

[Cheeto]

I love SNPA and ALL of the beers I've ever tried from that brewery. That's one outfit that's got beer figured out IMO.

Plus, best homebrew bottles available. Especially the short, squatty 24 ouncers that actually fit on the fridge shelf

SNPA is a go to beer for me as well, at $12 a 1/2 case it is not a bad deal and I get to reuse the bottles :rockin:

a case of new bottles at my LHBS is 19.99, so for $24 I get a case of great bottles and 2.5 gallons of good beer !!

-Jason

 

[jonalexdeval]

I like SNPA okay. I think part of it is that it's everywhere. It was my introduction of sorts to craft beer, so I went through a phase of snubbing it because I was interested in more exotic things.

SNPA also seems to have interesting aging properties. After a while it seems to get "sweeter" or "thicker"... not always a good thing depending on what you're in the mood for.

 

[humann_brewing]

Here the typical selection is all the BMCs + corona of course, but the standard good beers are widmer hefe, firestone double barrel and SNPA and that is always a good choice in comparison to the others.

Although I was at a pizza place here and they had:

Bud, Bud light, coors light, blue moon, amberbock, blue moon and widmer.

That is only 1 non BMC beer to choose from, that pretty much sucks

 

[carnevoodoo]

SNPA also seems to have interesting aging properties. After a while it seems to get "sweeter" or "thicker"... not always a good thing depending on what you're in the mood for.

What happens is that the hops profile and the bitterness fade, leaving the malty backbone of the beer to shine through. Not the best taste in a pale ale, which is why you don't see a lot of aged APAs out there.

 

[david_42]

Because you can drink two and still have enamel on your teeth. Obviously under-hopped.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Because you can drink two and still have enamel on your teeth. Obviously under-hopped.

Funny thing about perception. SNPA was considered SUPER hoppy when it came out.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I don't like pale ales so I'm not a SNPA fan. I do like some of their other beers though.

 

[SourHopHead]

I always find myself coming back to a SNPA either out at a restaurant or bringing it to a party. I have never had a SN beer I didn't like.

 

[BrianTheBrewer]

I've seen Sierra Nevada's PA called "california piss-beer", "disgusting", and plenty of other things.

I think it's just fine. Now I'm not claiming it to be one of the better American PA's, because it isn't. And i'm not saying it isn't slightly overpriced, because it is. But it certainly isn't piss-beer, and as a standard PA I think it's just fine. And I don't see it claiming to be any more than it actually is.

Now granted, I live in Iowa, and we just don't get a very good selection here. But I'm perfectly satisfied with a 6er of Sierra Nevada when I'm not dead broke. But even when I lived in Colorado I still considered it an all-right pale.

Why does everyone hate it so much? Or have I just run into a select few people who hate it? I get the feeling most of the hate stems from the west coast...?

Well as I did not read the rest of this thread and just read your first post I do not know how other feel about your topic. I just started another thread just like this about Sam Adams in the General Beer forum.

Sierra Nevada is far from piss. I still love a good Sierra Pale Ale here or there. The Torpedo IPA is very good, the Harvest series is awesome, when I can get the Wheat I usually buy it all (I dont think they make it anymore). The Bigfoot is wonderful, the anniversary is very good and the Celebration is one of the better IPA's out there.

Anyone that says anything bad about Sierra Nevada is just a loser beer snob.

 

[Synovia]

I can't recall ever seeing anyone talk smack about SNPA. I see dislike for Sam Adams (which I also think is mostly misplaced), but never for Sierra Nevada.

Second this.


I don't really like SNPA, but I've never really seen it being bashed around here. I kinda think the opposite actually, that it gets put on a pedestal too often here.

Guess its all about perception?

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I've seen Sierra Nevada's PA called "california piss-beer", "disgusting", and plenty of other things.

I think it's just fine. Now I'm not claiming it to be one of the better American PA's, because it isn't. And i'm not saying it isn't slightly overpriced, because it is. But it certainly isn't piss-beer, and as a standard PA I think it's just fine. And I don't see it claiming to be any more than it actually is.

Now granted, I live in Iowa, and we just don't get a very good selection here. But I'm perfectly satisfied with a 6er of Sierra Nevada when I'm not dead broke. But even when I lived in Colorado I still considered it an all-right pale.

Why does everyone hate it so much? Or have I just run into a select few people who hate it? I get the feeling most of the hate stems from the west coast...?

For me, everything Sierra Nevada makes has a nasty taste to it. I'm pretty sure it's the variety of hops they use, but I suppose it could also be something else. Either way, enough people like it for them to stay in biz, but then the same can be said of BMC, which is right where I rate Sierra Nevada's swill. Look at it this way: more for you! Regards, GF.

 

[imaguitargod]

For me, everything Sierra Nevada makes has a nasty taste to it. I'm pretty sure it's the variety of hops they use, but I suppose it could also be something else. Either way, enough people like it for them to stay in biz, but then the same can be said of BMC, which is right where I rate Sierra Nevada's swill. Look at it this way: more for you! Regards, GF.

I taste that as well which is my main complaint. Almost ALL of their beers have that taste. It's definitly one of the strains of hops and I'm not sure which it is.

 

[carnevoodoo]

For me, everything Sierra Nevada makes has a nasty taste to it. I'm pretty sure it's the variety of hops they use, but I suppose it could also be something else. Either way, enough people like it for them to stay in biz, but then the same can be said of BMC, which is right where I rate Sierra Nevada's swill. Look at it this way: more for you! Regards, GF.

Just because you don't like the way it tastes doesn't mean that it is swill. Comparing Sierra Nevada to any of the big companies is just silly. It is a well made beer that is widely popular among a lot of people with great taste in beer. Your palate is obviously different than mine, but there's no need to trash it when it is still a good quality brewery.

 

[DavidSteel]

I'm actually not a big fan of the PA (don't hate it, just wouldn't buy it b/c the price doesn't seem like it should be that high), but I love all of their other beers.

 

[AnOldUR]

. . . the same can be said of BMC, which is right where I rate Sierra Nevada's swill.

Got to agree with carnevoodoo. It's the same kind of trash talk that Samuel Adams gets by EAC's trying to prove their beer superiority. You might not like what they have to offer, but it's certainly not "swill."

And a little off topic, I had the chance to taste Life and Limb, the Sierra Nevada / Dogfish Head collaboration. Had it on tap at Rehoboth Beach. If you get a chance to try this, don’t pass it up. Excellent!

 

[remilard]

Comparing Sierra Nevada to any of the big companies is just silly. It is a well made beer that is widely popular among a lot of people with great taste in beer.

Wait, you can't compare Sierra Nevada to Coors because Sierra Nevada makes popular and well made beer?

Is Coors beer poorly made? Unpopular?

 

[imaguitargod]

And a little off topic, I had the chance to taste Life and Limb, the Sierra Nevada / Dogfish Head collaboration. Had it on tap at Rehoboth Beach. If you get a chance to try this, don’t pass it up. Excellent!

I too had that, it was quite enjoyable. Don't think it'll age well, but I enjoyed it.

 

[AnOldUR]

I too had that, it was quite enjoyable. Don't think it'll age well, but I enjoyed it.

Dunno, I'd love to find a few bomber to cellar for a couple of years.

Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics-brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman "farm" at the brewery in Chico. The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries' house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew. If stored under good conditions, this rich, full-bodied beer should age well for years. Life & Limb will be available in 24-oz. bottles and limited draft starting this November.

 

[Zen_Brew]

There is often a trend to dislike the popular and successful....be it a beer, an athalete, an actor, a company etc.

Personally I like just about everything Sierra Nevada makes and I have for many years. Celebration ale continues to be my personal favorite brew made on the commercial level, and the new Torpedo is a nice add to the stable. Add to that their innovative and environmentally friendly process, and the fact it is a great place to work from all accounts, and the level to which they support the home brewing community.

SNPA has been a staple in my fridge for some 10 odd years. I think it exemplifies the style, and so apparently does the BJCP style guideline as it is the first commercial example listed. They list commercial examples in the order of how well they represent the style.

Viva La Sierra Nevada Brewery!

 

[carnevoodoo]

Wait, you can't compare Sierra Nevada to Coors because Sierra Nevada makes popular and well made beer?

Is Coors beer poorly made? Unpopular?

No, coors is not poorly made or unpopular. However, that wasn't the argument I was making, troll.