Good to hear you found some fresh SN. The only issue I have with them here in Cincinnati is how dated their product is usually on the shelves.
Whoa - I haven’t seen that one yet. Might have to track some down! I skipped a different sampler because I didn’t want to try their Holiday Spiced ale.
They came in two different sampler packs one had the Celebration Ale and the other had a wet hop IPL
Mine was kegged and carbonated by Thanksgiving. The color is similar, the taste ended up drier (FG was lower) and perhaps as a result, the bitterness seems a bit sharper than Sierra Nevada’s. Still a very good, drinkable IPA.
Reviving an old thread just to say…
I picked up a 12-pack of 2020 Celebration. Great hop flavor. But, I prefer Sierra Nevada Torpedo over Celebration. It’s a much smoother bitterness. Torpedo is easier to drink.
It’s all preference. I avoid Torpedo, but I’ll take as much Celebration as I can get.
I always look forward when Celebration is available it’s a great beer!!!
I’ve never really liked Torpedo either. I’m not really sure why. Just never liked it. Celebration is great though.
Yeah, same here. I’ve gone through a fair bit of it already.
Just tapped a clone of this and it was 91% 2 row and 9% C-60. I need to give it a little more time, but I’m thinking I just don’t like that much C-60 in a beer. Freely admit I don’t have a great palette as I can never taste what my wife can taste in food, but there is just something I don’t care for. However, I’m willing to give the beer some time as it was a bit under carbed when I tasted it yesterday.
BTW, Torpedo is just OK to me.
Do you like Celebration?
I’m learning that maybe my tastes have changed over time. Going back 4-5 years ago I really did like it. Had a bottle of it after finishing some remodeling work at my Mom’s and I thought it’s good, but not great. That’s not saying it’s a bad beer, because I have full respect for SN and the beers they make. I also wanted to make something to spread a little holiday cheer this year (bottled 1/2 of it) and thought this would be familiar to a lot of people. I think the beer I made is really close, just not to my liking as much as I had hoped. I’m also going through a bit of a Pilsner phase where I just love drinking those. Nice ramble, huh?
I made a batch based off Steve Dresler’s interview with the, “Can you Brew It” podcast crew. He gave out most of the recipe details and I assumed a decent amount of gypsum in the water.
Mine matched well on color and hop flavor and aroma, but the crystal malt is much more prominent. I’ve done a variation probably 6 different times trying to get it closer but when trying different crystal malts (I think he just said a British crystal at around 60 lov) I still get a fairly strong toffee flavor.
Celebration was one of my first hoppy beers in the late 90’s. Still look forward to it each year. I don’t dislike Torpedo, but don’t gravitate towards it.