11/24/11 Sierra Nevada Celebration

So after a long Thanksgiving Day and before I headed off to bed to get some rest before waking up early to go to work on Black Friday I decided to sit down and have a Sierra Nevada Celebration (which I got from Brewer's Outlet in Pottsville) to celebrate a successful Thanksgiving. The temperature was a warm 46.3 degrees which didn't bother me in the slightest. The head was huge at 4.5 " with a light brown foamy appearance. The head lacing was excellent and the head dissipated very slowly. The beer had medium carbonation with normal clarity and copper color. The aroma was a citrus smell and it had a hint of caramel taste and a mild bitterness that went well with some leftover cranberry relish. It had a light to moderate flavor with an average finish length. My mouth had a watery feel to it and the tongue hit was towards the middle. The head lacing was excellent and it was a good beer with something somewhat different that was nice for the holiday and for leftovers. Overall as a beer I would rate it a A- and as a Thanksgiving beer I would give it an A. So if your eating Thanksgiving fair I would recommend this beer as an excellent choice. You'll need a bottle opener to open it so make sure you have one handy or a dollar bill (see the latest issue of Maxim for that trick). Thanks for reading and as always drink responsibly.

Nutritional information from myfitnesspal.com

Nutrition Facts

Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale

1. Servings:  12 oz 1 oz

Calories	214	Sodium	0 mg
Total Fat	0 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	19 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	0 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	2 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamin A	0%	Calcium	0%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	0%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Information from Sierra Nevada website

The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home. “…best beer ever made in America.” – Stan Sessor, San Francisco Chronicle GOLD MEDAL WINNER United States Beer Tasting Championship(IPA: 1994) FIRST PLACE  Chicago Beer Society — 1996 Fall Beer Tasting SILVER MEDAL WINNER California State Fair (IPA: 1999) Great American Beer Festival (IPA: 2002)
	ALCOHOL CONTENT 6.8% BY VOLUME BITTERING HOPS CHINOOK BEGINNING GRAVITY 16.0 PLATO FINISHING HOPS CASCADE & CENTENNIAL ENDING GRAVITY 4.0 PLATO DRY HOPPING CASCADE & CENTENNIAL BITTERNESS UNITS 65 MALTS TWO-ROW PALE & ENGLISH CARAMEL YEAST TOP-FERMENTING ALE YEAST

Pairings from Beer Advocate Cuisine (Curried, Thai) Cheese (peppery; Monterey / Pepper Jack, sharp; Blue, Cheddar, pungent; Gorgonzola, Limburger) Meat (Poultry, Fish, Shellfish, Salmon)