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Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

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Tapsucker
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Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Post by Tapsucker »

Sorry if this is generating yet another thread on this beer. I did a search and found so many mentions I decided just to make my own noise. ;-)

Today I got a newsletter from Craft Beer & Brewing, which I unintentionally deleted. I don't see a link on their website to the content, maybe it will show up later. Anyway, it was a sponsored content thing, but refreshingly free of too much fluff. The real point was that it was a brief discussion of the origin story of SN Pale Ale, Cascade hops and that it was 40 years ago (gasp!). Has it really been this long?

It's amazing how this one beer helped kick off so much in the world of beer we love, but is also still so contemporary today. INMHO, this is still a great enjoyable beer to me even as my palate has been exposed to so much excitement over the years.
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lagerale
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Post by lagerale »

Here's the email:

Sent in partnership with Sierra Nevada

Now in its fifth decade on shelves, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has a timeless grip on taste buds, edging out serious brewing talent for readers’ choice accolades like “Favorite Pale Ale Brewer.”

And to think it all started, says founder Ken Grossman, in part because he needed something “unique enough to command the 85 cents per bottle we were targeting in our business plan to make ends meet.” Steep then; a dreamy price tag today.

But make no mistake, Ken’s pragmatism wouldn’t subdue his vision: Define a style.

“Pale Ale was sort of born out of trying to balance the technology we had at that time as brewers and [making] a product that would leave a lasting impression on the drinker,” he says. “And we wanted it to have a distinctive hop character.” 

Launching Sierra Nevada on “glorified home brewery equipment” meant certain beers were out of reach (e.g., traditional lagers) and primitive packaging equipment made oxygen control a wildcard. That sure narrowed the focus.

“We concluded that [what we] could really pull off well was a top-fermented, bottle-conditioned beer.”

And with a desire to feature exclusively American ingredients, that precluded the British-style pale ale from the flagship shortlist — plus its hop profile was too mild mannered. India Pale Ale was indeed an option; Ken homebrewed his share of IPA, but even he considered that too audacious.

“We didn't think, with the demise of brands like Ballentine [IPA], but also the homogenization of beer at the time, that we would have success with something that different, that intense.”

So a year before opening Sierra Nevada in 1980, Ken buckled down on defining the Pale Ale recipe, brewing 5-gallon homebrew batches nearly every week. He experimented with all of the ingredients, like yeast sourced from laboratories, other brewers, and even cultured from bottles of beer he knew were bottle conditioned.

“Today there’s some very expressive yeast,” Ken says, “but back in that era, yeast played a secondary role in the overall aroma impression of our beers — we really needed the hops to shine through.”

Finding the headliner hop was a bit of right place, right time. Ken says in the ‘70s, the only American hops you could get were paltry.

“They were packaged in white donut bags,” he recalls. “[They] folded the top over and stapled it is how they came to us…and they weren’t refrigerated.”

If Ken’s beer labels were going to declare “Purest Ingredients, Finest Quality,” the donut bags wouldn’t cut it.

“So I started making trips to Yakima [Washington] myself to try to get better ingredients.” 
 
He brought home the predominate American varieties at the time, like Cluster, but they weren’t known for punchy aroma. Put toward those early homebrew Pale Ale trials, they left Ken wanting. But there was another variety in the mix, a newcomer yet to earn broad favor. And in one particularly stellar homebrew batch, Ken unlocked its famed bouquet of pine, citrus, and spice.
 
“Cascade came out and it was just different than all the rest of them,” he says. “We wanted unique and distinctive, and so the Cascade fit that bill.” 
 
This was a breakthrough, but not just for him; here was unrivaled flavor that everyone needed to try. Scaled up to 10-barrel commercial production, it took 10 tries to declare Pale Ale victory. Soon it would change tastes, make hops famous, and help revive an entire industry. Almost a half-century later, Pale Ale still intrigues the collective craft beer conscience.

“Even the beer connoisseur who’s used to now drinking double IPAs and barrel-aged stouts,” Ken ponders, “I think most of those drinkers can still appreciate both the heritage of Pale Ale but also just the drinkability and balance that it has.”

If it’s not in your fridge, find Pale Ale near you.

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Cass
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Post by Cass »

It's really something how Sierra Nevada has endured with top-tier reputation and quality for these decades. It feels like some of the old school crafty breweries like Anchor or Sam Adams do not have the same reverence they once did, but Sierra Nevada keeps chugging along.

It feels like SN Celebration Ale has in fact surged in popularity, and seems like one of those beers that people anticipate and swipe off the shelves on day one. A hard feat with all the selection there is nowadays.

I enjoy SNPA in Ontario regularly as I'm happy to have it here and it's well priced. SN is still a go-to when I'm in the States and looking for just some "regular drinking" beer.

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Cass
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Post by Cass »

Does anyone know if Sierra Nevada Pale is still coming into Ontario? Limited stock at the LCBOs which suspiciously looks like leftovers. Von Terra's (their agent, at least they were the last time I heard) website is gone and no social posts for a few years.

https://www.lcbo.com/en/storeinventory/ ... 1hbGUifQ==

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Tapsucker
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Post by Tapsucker »

Cass wrote: Thu Dec 07, 2023 3:05 pm Does anyone know if Sierra Nevada Pale is still coming into Ontario? Limited stock at the LCBOs which suspiciously looks like leftovers. Von Terra's (their agent, at least they were the last time I heard) website is gone and no social posts for a few years.

https://www.lcbo.com/en/storeinventory/ ... 1hbGUifQ==
Last time I saw it was about six months back. There were eight or so on the shelf at my local BO. I took a chance and grabbed them. They turned out to be quite fresh. Interesting because I had just returned from the US and had been enjoying it on tap at my hotel bar, so I had a recent comparison on file.

The shelf I grabbed them from has never been restocked to my knowledge, but then again much has disappeared to make room for alchopops.

I'm also sad to see Fat Tug vanish from my local store, but it does still seem to be listed in Ontario. Hopefully that's fresh inventory.
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Fans are cash cows.
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Cass
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Post by Cass »

Tapsucker wrote: Thu Dec 07, 2023 5:16 pm Last time I saw it was about six months back. There were eight or so on the shelf at my local BO. I took a chance and grabbed them. They turned out to be quite fresh. Interesting because I had just returned from the US and had been enjoying it on tap at my hotel bar, so I had a recent comparison on file.

The shelf I grabbed them from has never been restocked to my knowledge, but then again much has disappeared to make room for alchopops.

I'm also sad to see Fat Tug vanish from my local store, but it does still seem to be listed in Ontario. Hopefully that's fresh inventory.
Hmmm. I sent an email into the LCBO help line so we'll see what they come back with.

anthony9
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Post by anthony9 »

Fat Tug was recently on sale. Not sure if that was to sell old inventory before new stuff comes or just a sale.

I really like SN's pale ale and wish I knew of a local that was like it.

I think Rorschach made a homage to Pliny, but it seems like it's just okay. So not too hopeful.

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Tapsucker
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Post by Tapsucker »

I seem to recall Fat Tug showing up on sale from time to time. It actually made me chuckle, because it was generally cheaper to buy in Ontario than BC already.
Brands are for cattle.
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Cass
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Post by Cass »

I've confirmed with the LCBO that SNPA is delisted. Which is a major bummer as that was a regular purchase and hard to find local comparisons.

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S. St. Jeb
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Post by S. St. Jeb »

How thirsty are you? There appear to be two kegs in TBS system. :)

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Tapsucker
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Post by Tapsucker »

S. St. Jeb wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:26 am How thirsty are you? There appear to be two kegs in TBS system. :)
How about a group buy? I have a Sanke tap, bottle filler and capper. Bring your own bottles! :P
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Post by Andicus »

Cass wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:05 am I've confirmed with the LCBO that SNPA is delisted. Which is a major bummer as that was a regular purchase and hard to find local comparisons.
This is going to give me a complex... I stopped buying Schneider Weisse original, for about 6 months, and it was delisted.

Haven't bought SN PA for about 6 months, and it's delisted.

Possibly a coincidence, or perhaps, if I don't buy something, it's getting delisted. :lol:

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Tapsucker
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Post by Tapsucker »

Andicus wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 2:31 pm
This is going to give me a complex... I stopped buying Schneider Weisse original, for about 6 months, and it was delisted.

Haven't bought SN PA for about 6 months, and it's delisted.

Possibly a coincidence, or perhaps, if I don't buy something, it's getting delisted. :lol:
Careful. Back in early 2019 I made jokes about the emerging plague just being side effects of the 5G network roll out. Very regrettable. I'm careful not to try and be funny around some people anymore.

You owe it to yourself, and the rest of us to go out and buy at least one can of each of your favourite beers. Pronto.
Brands are for cattle.
Fans are cash cows.
The herd will consume until consumed.

Andicus
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Post by Andicus »

Tapsucker wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 4:20 pm
Andicus wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 2:31 pm
This is going to give me a complex... I stopped buying Schneider Weisse original, for about 6 months, and it was delisted.

Haven't bought SN PA for about 6 months, and it's delisted.

Possibly a coincidence, or perhaps, if I don't buy something, it's getting delisted. :lol:
Careful. Back in early 2019 I made jokes about the emerging plague just being side effects of the 5G network roll out. Very regrettable. I'm careful not to try and be funny around some people anymore.

You owe it to yourself, and the rest of us to go out and buy at least one can of each of your favourite beers. Pronto.
I was thinking that people should start sending me money to buy the beer they want to keep listed. You know, not to be selfish. :D

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Post by Ralphus »

Bummer. I can sometimes get SNPA at my local Independent (Loblaws) Grocery store. Any idea if that network would be affected as well, I'm thinking its separate?
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