Anybody try this yet? Picked up a six yesterday and just tried one - great beer. SN did this beer in partnership with Germany’s Brauhaus Riegele and promises to partner with a different German brewer each year on an O-fest. It’s has copper/pale amber color, lighter than some, with slightly more spicy late hop character than many. The malt bill uses 2 row pale, Pils, Munich, and German Steffi malt (an heirloom German 2 row variety not used commonly due to its cost according to SN. By their account, it imparts more character than many 2 rows). I love the malt character - it’s clean, slightly bready, lightly malty rich and best of all, ZERO crystal/caramunich/caravienne to oversweeten. Hop character ( Magnum to bitter, German Select, Tettnang, and Spalt late) is more prominent when first poured, less so when the beer warms a bit. Complex malt character is more prominent at this point. I could drink this stuff by the liter, regularly. I’m curious how next year’s O-fest with a new German brewery partner will stack up. It has its work cut out.
I was about to post about this beer. Picked up a twelve pack the other day…it’s going quickly. Really wish this would be a recurring brew…
Im on vacation so ill be looking for it. My guess was that it might be a bit too hoppy. Sounds interesting though.
Yeah, I wish they’d keep this one, too. Though the idea of a different German co-brewer every year is cool. I doubt I’ll like any of them any better than this one, though. It has a tad more late hop character than most, but it’s a very nice beer, better as it warms. Gonna buy more.
Really, really enjoyed this beer. I usually buy this type of stuff once, but I’ll be back for more. SN has been nailing their seasonals lately.
I am going to have to track this one down. It’s sounds great. I was just shopping Wednesday at Jungle Jim’s International market and did not see it there. Luckily I will be in that area again next week and will have to find it. Thanks for the tip Jon
I had one a couple of weeks ago and I thought it had a very nice malt flavor.
Been making my through a 12 pack as well and am really enjoying it, nice malty backbone, well balanced and easy drinking, gonna get some more:)
I’m curious, Jim…why would you expect that?
Unfair I suppose, but ive just come to expect a heavy hand with hops in west coast breweries. Im headed to town today, with any luck I’ll score some and I’ll give it a fair chance
Keep in mind that SN makes a wide range of beers and not all of them are hoppy. Especially when they’ve partnered with a German brewery for this one, I’d expect it to be pretty good.
Just poured one. Fest Beer is not my strong suit style wise, meaning I don’t claim to know a lot about is, but I like this one. So many America Ofests ive tried seem too full and too sweet. This is one of best I can remember. Very drinkable, theres some nobel hop flavor up front, then a nice wash of crackery pils malt. Finishes medium, not sweet not dry, but enough bitterness to carry it. No unpleasant lingering flavors. Definitely its own beer not just a big Nooner. Kudos!
sam adams reportedly does a late hop on their o’fest also -departing from the “german traditional”. Just had Great Lakes O’fest this weekend-very nice.
looking forward to trying SN’s.
+1 I think they may be the gold standard of large craft breweries now. They seem to be putting a lot of work into getting each new offering just right.
So fucking good! I’m not the hugest SN fan, but living in CA means it’s always available. I snagged a 6’r last weekend after friends swore it was amazing… finished that in a night and grabbed a 12 pack the next day. Sooooo good!!! I emailed SN about the recipe, still no response [emoji53]
Marshall, if they respond with a recipe, you will need to play nice and share [emoji6]
nothing surprising in what they list:
Overview
Alcohol Content 6.0% by volume
Beginning gravity 14.6° plato
Ending Gravity 3.5° plato
Bitterness Units 30
Ingredients
Yeast Lager yeast
Bittering Hops German Magnum
Finishing Hops German Select, Tettnanger, Spalter
Malts Two-row Pale, Steffi, Pilsner, Munich
I have recently started to enjoy Sierra Nevada’s offerings much more. I will have to give this a shot. I saw some bad reviews about it and was a bit wary but now it appears that good reviews are starting to roll in. A couple of the common complaints I saw was a strong ‘corn’ flavor and too hoppy for the style.
I tried Nooner after the praise it received here and really like it. I have been trying to track down their Kolsch which was in a mixed pack but haven’t been able to find it.
I really liked their Vienna and American brown in the fall variety pack.
Is the American Brown called “Tumbler”? I had that years ago…