Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2008

What better beer for New Years Day than a Celebration Ale from Sierra Nevada. I've tried numerous Sierra Nevada brews over the years, and they've never let me down. During the past holiday week, I picked up a six-pack of this ale while visiting some family members who don't have a dedicated beer/wine/mead fridge. Sierra Nevada brews this ale every year and it's won numerous awards. It's basically an IPA with a little more horsepower. It poured a clear copper color with an inch-tall head. The head diminished to about 1/4 of its original size, but lasted to the bottom of the glass, leaving plenty of frosty lacing. The first sip lets you know it's an IPA, with plenty of grapefruity "C' hops - Chinooks, Centennials, and Cascades. The 6.8 % alcohol level became apparent as I got closer to the bottom. The big hop presence was neatly offset by plenty of malt sweetness. Sierra Nevada is a talented brewery - Fritz Maytag knew what he was doing when he bought it way back when.